Poems

Africa

Africa! Africa! Listen to the drums!

Calling your daughters, calling your sons.

Different countries within a continent,

Where black skin is so prominent.

Powerful nations embedded in one space,

One of God’s creations, the beautiful black race.

Forgiving, resourceful, full of so much hope,

Full of overcomers who refuse to mope.

Remember Queen of Sheba,

To Solomon she came.

Out of Ethiopia, because of his great fame.

She heard of his great wisdom,

That came from God above,

And she was so elated to see King David’s son.

Egyptian pyramids, a sight to behold!

Land of riches such as silver and gold.

Africa! Africa! Listen to the drums!

Calling your daughters, calling your sons.

– Kadecia Wilson

-----

What a marvellous love

God sent His only Son to redeem our souls.

He came to earth, born by a virgin with many goals.

He was rich in everything but was so humble.

Under life’s pressures and temptations, He didn’t stumble.

Jesus loves us so much, He gave up His mansion up above.

The fire has been raging in Hollywood.

Is this a sign from our Father? Should we aspire to be like a dove?

Times are ending, His coming is so near.

Don’t quit, never give up, no need to fear.

Jesus will never leave us comfortless, He is our ever-loving Father.

Are you anxious about the future? What will tomorrow bring for me?

Look at the birds and trees, they fret not neither do they plea.

God will provide, He always does.

He keeps us safe from harm and from dangerous foes.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He is our sustainer.

Jesus, we thank you for your mercies and grace.

Jesus, we are grateful for each new day.

Jesus, we rejoice for your blessings and peace.

Jesus, we are favoured by your marvellous love.

– Hortense Francis

----

Poetic Diamond

MAD spells her initials

Diamond in her name

It springs vocabulary contained in her poetry

Of a Madonna evolved as nature’s craft of distinction

Poetic diamond

Diamond with attitude

AKA, affectionate Monique

She’s absolute Arian dynasty

Noble ram, a meek lamb

Fashioned by a Superior Intelligence

Need no human validation

She is unique and by any test, a diamond

Arian queen whose message through genres familiar

Liberate minds that synchronize with the rhythm of nature

A value she commands, determines her demand

For she is a diamond

Familial pet name, June

Centering, balancing whirling, twirling nature’s seasons as if she

Represent Newton’s laws of motion and reasons

She carries exceptional marks of identification

Why can’t you just bes? No one else has evers. And often, Why are you the onlys?

But can she be other, when she is a diamond?

Crème de la crème, of colour, cut, clarity and carat

First sun, planet Mars, chakra red and star stone diamond

Wow! dimensions of Elton and divas like Diana, Aretha and Maya

And what about Mariah and Reba McIntyre

Who blazed that trail on her Arian path

Because, she is a diamond

– Monica Dystant

----

I am BLACK

Bold, Leader, Astute, Confident, Knowledgeable

Quitting…that should never be on our lips

Does anybody know

That our ancestors were tied to bodies that were decompose

It nuh inna wi DNA fi quit

Nuh badda wid it!

“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery

None but ourselves can free our mind”

We need to change our mindset, it is in our ancestry

Mary Shadd was the first black woman to enroll in Howard University

Big up Rosa Parks and Viola Desmond

We can now sit where we will

Whether on the bus or in the cinema still

A wi dem waan segregate

Martin Luther King dun fly di gate

Wi need to step up to di plate

“I have a dream that one day” we will unite as one team

We are gifted and black

Let’s have each other’s back

And stop the attack

You may crush my self-esteem and beat me down

“With Your Bitter twisted lies”, but “Still I rise!”

Like a Black Phoenix from the ashes

Apparently, you forgot that my ancestors were from the Middle Passage

Look inna di mirror an speak tuh yuh “somebodyness”

An seh me is a prince or me is a princess

Mi is Black an Beautiful

Mi is handsome an black

An dats a fact

“It nuh matta weh yuh cum from

As long as yuh is a Black man yuh is a African”

“Nuh mind yuh nationality

You have got di identity of an African”

Shout it out loud

I am BLACK and I am proud!

– Sharon Johnson

Inspired by Henry Longfellow, Bob Marley, Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, Viola Desmond, Martin Luther King, Peter Tosh