Verse - 28 Poem by Xavier Mandreza

Sacred Man drenched in Blackened Veils repel
The Sun's Caress
As Iron Bars commit his Heightened Voice to
The Deepest Known Suppress
Yet none of these Demons broke his Loving Will Succeed
But Hardened his Resolve to Overturn
His Beloved Land's Distress:



MADIBA! MADIBA!
Heed the Cries of your Children in Need!

MADIBA! MADIBA!
Let their Prayers take Root from your Seed!



When all Lorded Efforts seemed to have Failed
When Friends you Cherished promoted
Their Cause as Martyrs
You were there - Aching in Heart, Soul
And in Betempering Spirit
As you Languished in the Cold Beast's Stone Womb.

Yet even that Beast cannot Shake you. Even his
Cold, Dampened Claws
Whom by his Resolve has Broken even
The Most Resolved of Men.

You were the MAN - you were the Mortal,
Immortalized for enduring his
Silent, Depressing Roar.

Your Countrymen your STRENGTH; Your Land
Your Singing Inspiration.
Food and Drink merely Obstructed your Cause.
And Music the Solder's Anthem of Terror
Slowly by the Rope; Then by the Blade; Then by the Bullet
Shifted your Friends to the Greater Life:



MADIBA! MADIBA!
Heed the Cries of your Children in Need!

MADIBA! MADIBA!
Let their Prayers take Root from your Seed!



No Mantra has ever Exceeded your Country's Name.
No Prayers as Effective as your Title bears.
Not just from the Land of the Cape - breathe LOVE and
FREEDOM throughout this Stubborn Earth.

Yet for all your GLORY; For all your PRAISE,
Yours be your Soul to Own.
You found yourself a Man; Just a MAN,
Striving to Up-Hold what you Knew was RIGHT;
What you Knew was JUST; What you Knew will
HEAL Countless Souls for Eons to Come.

And when X'hosa's Son breathed the Joyful News:
When his ears Awakened to the Sterling and
Landmarked Event
That finally - FINALLY - Blessed Dove perched
At your Bars,
Telling the Beast to Loosen his Claws,
And let the Newborn SON OF AFRICA go.

The Beast had to Obey; For the People
Kept Chanting that Sacred Mantra to his Ears.
He could not Stand it; For all its TRUTH and LIFE
Beknown,
Rebelled at his very Nature. Darkness his Skin
Would no longer Bear their Exhiliabrating Music:



MADIBA! MADIBA!
Heed the Cries of your Children in Need!

MADIBA! MADIBA!
Let their Prayers take Root from your Seed!



May this Name always be Etched in our Hearts!

When Dark Forces grow - then Seek to Invade
Our PEACE once again:

Chant his Name; CHANT HIS NAME!

Equal to the Drums such Liberty provides!

Equal to God His Blessed Hand bestoke!

Equal to all our Voices echoing as Cries!

Magic becomes the MIRACLE; FREEDOM a FACT once a Fable.

Her Arms - your PILLARS - Nourish Sentiment in Songs.

Your Children - as FRUITS your Freedom bears - Carry the Seeds
Your Legacy creates.

And as you Took your Vows on the Pod
How your Children felt that Endearing Light glowing
Within you -

That Same Light - the Same Energy
Which Withstood the Beast's Demanding Gnaw -

Now Proclaiming a New Era has come:
'A BETTER LIFE. A BETTER WORLD! '

That still - Immortal your Heart betrothed,
Age committed its Price. Then by your Ninety-Five
The FATHER - His Merciful Almighty - brought you back
To your Righteous Reward
Where forever you will Hear your ETERNITY ringing
Its Bell.

But NO - Madiba - you have not DIED;
Never did. Never have.
You have not Left this Weary World. You are A-LIVE:

Each within our Freedom-Loving Hearts;
Each within our Strugging Souls;
Breaking to be Free to be LOVED and RESPECTED
For who we are.....FOR WHO WE ARE.

Each of X'hosa's Children now carry your Flame;
As each Afrikaan now Adopt your Greater View.

For this Nation will Carry - This FLAG
You for so Long have Desired to Hold.

And their Chants grow Louder; LOUDER
For as Long as this Stubborn Earth resists:



MADIBA! MADIBA!
Heed the Cries of your Children in Need!

MADIBA! MADIBA!
Let their Prayers take Root from your Seed!



Rest in Freedom - Madiba - REST IN FREEDOM.