We don’t need no western boots,
Coming to our land with their minds set to loot.
We don’t need no western boots,
Troubling our land and acting like crooks.
Africa lays reeling under these big brothers’ rules,
So, No we don’t need any more western boots.
We don’t need no western boots,
Preaching peace and making war look good.
We don’t need no western democracy,
That we have to pay for with our blood only to discover it’s all vanity.
We don’t need no western religion,
That undermines our culture and fuels the fire of division.
No, we don’t need no western boots,
For Africa is rising; we’re done playing the fool.
We don’t need no western boots,
Killing our leaders and saying it’s for our good.
We don’t need no western boots,
Creating the problems and presenting the solutions.
We don’t need no western rules,
On how to go about our revolution.
No, we don’t need no western boots,
From now on, Africa gets to set the rules.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Arise Africa Arise. Lovely poem with an independent rhythmic flow that renders the reader an easy read. Controversial poem, poems about politics tend to be anyway. All round evocative poem.