The Mask Poem by Edward Kofi Louis

One love and peace,
One care and hope,
I am from Benin in Nigeria!
But out of Egypt came my ancestors.
They settled in Nigeria out of love,
And the Assyrians know my identity as well;
And like Bronze, Sculptures and Terracotta.
The mask on my face is to tell you a story,
With Ivory, Slaves and Gold as part of the trade;
And with greetings from the White Volta and the Black Volta,
And like King Mansa Musa of Mali! !
But, the Portuguese came for Gold and Slaves on the West Coast of Africa.