Africa Poem by Ikechukwu Ogbuike

AFRICA

Everything that happens to us comes, as a matter of fact, it comes
When we say we are not you, who are we?
America?
Who ever heard of dreaming backwards?
We build monuments too on these accidents of our daily offerings
Monuments will also give way
Truth is we have come far but we are here now, see with attitude
Retracing our steps once more to the origins of our craggy beginnings
It's only a throat that is thirsty that knows the joy of a spring water
It is because of you that we are
The roots that you set down that makes us to aspire
Nature is also cultural
Prehistoric perhaps, but not nocturnal
We do not need other's affirmation
To be sure, since we are inheritors of this kingdom
Neither do we need to swear an oath
To understand why this canoe of possibilities still remain afloat
On this autochthonous waters of our illusions
We are what we claim, what you left us
Children of diversity, effective in intensity
We are the remains of what springs forth from the nucleus of where we come
Where we go to
Not only eunuchs lose their fecundity
It also happens to a voice that knows no praise
Just like a bucket of water poured into a raging inferno soon stifles its passion
Redefines its condition
We have got our voice, the one you gave to us
And this we use to exercise our choice
Do you see how the children get together to pay oblation
Praise is also part of the gift you gave
We can spend a lifetime doing just that only to realize enough will only become when we can encircle the air
They have also got an inspiration but none comes close to the magnanimity of your presence
So if we have to surrender
Let it be to no other but to a mother
Whose soul is lost that life is given to others
We keep sentry here Africa
We also await the entry of another Africa
Let the morning overtake us
While we are still thus cuddled, a flower waiting for love to come
We cry sad tears for love
For the eternity we wish for which is not always here
We are reminded by the dust of our flapping slippers
The journey is far from over until the guardian of the deep six has spoken
We are however assured that your perseverance will usher in a renaissance
Raped, betrayed, mispresented and misinterpreted
You still remain the enigma of their mania
When we gaze at this doorways of forever, we only see possibilities
The statement ‘Africa will survive'
Is as much as a belief in the untapped potentials
As well as an acknowledgment that might is not always right
Love is the music we hear in this breeze
Lies that make arid this disconnected desires is what we fear as we sneeze
Our eyes are very much open.. Africa
We see those who rape your reality as well as those who parcel cultures that are morally flawed
We pray however that days and nights will still remain so in our life time
For we, who are watching, will remain vigilant only on eternal things that will never go out of demand