Land of the Brave

Land of the brave

Proud as I stand

From where I sit

Reading of governments, in years far past

Hearing what structures, my forebears did craft

Of order and peace and relations so strong

Of resistance to armies, so better equipped

Of standing and saying, to hell with this now

Proud as I stand

From where I sit

The bush school was good and served so so right

Of women and men of roles to assume

To boys and girls a rite of passage

To teach you the ways to secure your own

The land of the brave, so proud of you dear

Proud as I stand

From where I sit

I remember the slave trade and how we built the west

With sweat and blood and salty tears too

The history, the story, so fresh in our minds

Of new rules to press us once our main job was done!

Proud as I stand

From where I sit

The gains we have made, there is no turning back!

I encounter Africa

I encounter an Africa

Ripe with resources

Not of gold and diamonds

Not of ore and bauxite

Not of oil and fertile lands

Not of cattle and livestock

Not of a beautiful landscape

Not of unimaginable wealth-of flora and fauna

Not of beautiful beaches

Not of an eerie landscape

I encounter an Africa

I speak of my Africa

Of strong men and wise men

Of Nkrumah and Nyerere

Of Sekou Toure and Lumumba

Of Haile Selasie and William V.S. Tubman

I encounter an Africa with towering figures

Like Nelson Mandela and Steven The Biko

Like Sedar Seghor and  Thomas Sankara

Like Desmond Tutu and the rest of the folks

I encounter an Africa

So rich is its resource

History called it civilization’s cradle