Mhakeda! Our Nubian Queen Poem by Dave Dafes

Who is she that rides astride,
On the wings of the morning?
Who is this, attired with the wind,
Rife with the sweet scent of exotic spices?
Who is she, magnificent as Aurora
Radiant as Phoebe's full orb, in a dark, dark, night?

She is Mhakeda,
Daughter of our mother,
Sired by the travails that cradled our nativity,
Her luscious heart morphed by the stripes we bear
Into an undaunted spirit
Hardened but tender,
Kind but ferocious,
Her Will is hers to wield over all she surveys,

With a smile that enchants,
Eyes like black diamonds,
They speak mysteries
Reminding us of how dull the canopy of stars is
Without her smile to lend them her brilliancy,
A single gaze into them captures the heart
As did Jedidiah,
The sage King of yore
So that your lips thirst to serenade her,
While your arms hunger for an intimate embrace.

Her head is as the finest onyx,
Accentuated by her braided tresses
Luxuriantly black as a raven
Meticulously adorned with beads
Her locks,
Perfumed with myrrh
Shields her ornate nape
Her graceful mien,
Humbly proud the swan can't mimic

Speaks of an ancient land,
Too richly endowed
Whence she hailed,
A phoenix of chiefs amongst her tribe
Her lips are like a tanned thread,
Coated with honey is her mellifluous voice
It lulls babes to sleep,
Tames the weary hearts
Those that cast their gaze on her
Banish all their miseries

Her silky hide is like polished ebony,
Toasted by the sun of whom she is a neighbor.
But it housed the reddest of blood
That flows with intense passion ‘n' zest for her Sculptor.
A Muse to be adored by everyone,
The rhythm of her anklets bare a splendor
Magical are her steps,
Tactfully elegant like a gazelle.
Her feet are smoothly polished with camwood,
They reek of her regal rank ‘n' estate.

Like the moonlight dance of a damsel
During the village festival,
Her gait is dashingly ravaging,
Mystically, enigmatic 'n' sublime.
You'll swear she is nothing but divine,
A 'goddess'
Sculpted to perfection.
From our mother's womb,
The ancient Nubian shore of Kush,
She sprouted,
A Nubian Queen.