The Strength of Africa

Africa,
Restless Spirit,
Struggling to overcome the pangs of cramping in her various joints.
Cramps produced as a result of other men.
Her first love, Europe, betrayed her.
Promised her happiness, joy and love forever,
But used her and abused her.
Stripped her of her abundant wealth of natural resources,
Stripped her of her innocence and
Overwhelmed her with foreign ideas.
Of colonialism,
Of capitalism
Of democracy.
Ideas completely unlike those of her fine cultures,
Resonating with centuries of tradition.
And so she lies,
Choking in her own blood.
Raped
Beaten and
Left for dead
By Europe and the Americas, and those that simply watch, Asia, Australia,
Are just as guilty of this attempted murder!
But Africa’s heart beats with the pulse of her ancestors,
Pumping life through her veins,
Nile
Zambezi
Limpopo.
Rhythmic and strong, her heart beats,
The Spirit of her forefathers cheering her on.
From the darkness, she rises.
Through the sadness, she rises.
Above her transgressors, she rises.
Her strength enough to give her unborn child
That same Heartbeat,
That same Spirit,
But a different
Life.

Tjidzani