"Africa"
Thus she had lain
sugercane sweet
deserts her hair
golden her feet
mountains her breasts
two Niles her tears.
Thus she has lain
Black through the years.
Over the white seas
rime white and cold
brigands ungentled
icicle bold
took her young daughters
sold her strong sons
churched her with Jesus
bled her with guns.
Thus she has lain.
Now she is rising
remember her pain
remember the losses
her screams loud and vain
remember her riches
her history slain
now she is striding
although she has lain.
Thus she had lain
sugercane sweet
deserts her hair
golden her feet
mountains her breasts
two Niles her tears.
Thus she has lain
Black through the years.
Over the white seas
rime white and cold
brigands ungentled
icicle bold
took her young daughters
sold her strong sons
churched her with Jesus
bled her with guns.
Thus she has lain.
Now she is rising
remember her pain
remember the losses
her screams loud and vain
remember her riches
her history slain
now she is striding
although she has lain.
4 comments:
In this poem I always have a problem with the sentence:sold her strong sons
Thanks for visiting African Youth Vibes, it basically means for those slaves who worked for the traders and sold mother Africa's sons. In the history of slave trading, only those strong sons were sold to the highest bidders.
I have friends from Trinidad who use that line to refer that all that were left in Africa were weak and not marketable . That is where my hesitation to what people get out of that line came from.
I always visit Ur very nice blog although I dont always comment.
Hi simon, I definitely understand. Every poem has it's own meaning to each individual but after reading all Maya Angelou books I gathered she was talking about the people who sold mother africa's strongest son's but at the same time it also means all that were left was the weak which in my opinion isn't true because Africa wouldn't be what it is today. thank you simon we appreciate your input
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