Africa The Mother Poem by Nkululeko Mdudu

Africa the mother;
She gives the milk which sustains all nations
She feeds through earthly riches dug from her womb
She shelters the morals of truth and humanity
Knowing full well the tragidies of her shredded cloth
This woman is weeping to see her children die
of starvation when her house is built of gold and diamond
And so brothers kill, like apes for a stickful of honey
their rags and rugged hands have no notion of money
It is for money that their fathers died before
Now within each other they kill the more
She screams: you bullies and ignorant kids!
Now red tears like thick veils flow down my face
Stringing pains from what I see
My children killing me.
It seems, that killing and raping and burning
each other is their way of increasing their earning.
How dare you do these hateful deeds to each other?

Xenophobia is a foreign term;
There are no foreigners in my house!

Haven't I taught you Anything?
How dare you Shame my name to the world;
What would your father say if he saw this mess?

If you have a problem with your brother then talk to him
You Do as I have raised you to do

I take no preference of one over the other
After all, I am your mother

I hate it when you fight
I'm happy when you are happy
And this would be my last fight
To be as happy as you make me!