Africa You Are My Shining Light. Poem by Thabani Khumalo

Arise Africa Arise!
The rainbow spectrum bearing bowing colors is yours
and so are the sacred flowers of your thick jungle.
Arise and teach them your true ways of an etiquette nature -
Arise and show them your flaunting beautiful face.

Count how many of the best qualities
with which you have chosen to decorate yourself.
You are the golden vanguard of all the complete glitter qualities,
A fitting queen should only come in your feature and size.
Listen to the elderly words of unmetered wisdom beyond all finites.

The sparkles of eonic cycling fashion
are still trapped in a crippling web of binding dogma,
but you are in every lover`s sweetest dreams
beyond any mortal slumber of decent day and of crepuscule.
When you spread out the terrain of the precious continent like corrosive dust,
You reflect an array of stars that scatter beautifully above the clouds,
in the view of all your ever brightening colors or in those that are still dull -
I can't help it but smile wide and sing loud:
Africa you are my shining light.