Once we were under alien rule
Being forced by fear of the teeth of the gun
To do what could not be done yet silent like the night
Then we thought that humans were demons
Their color we thought was a mistake from creation
When men and women were in chains starving like paupers
Taken from their homes to a land of the dead alive
When dreams became battlefields fighting for survival for freedom
When a man could look at his son and recognize him not
When children became sheep lost in the fields confused yet innocent
That is when their trademarks were like the art of a tree full of branches on their backs
That decorated their human body the temple of God
Yes I know like a disease they felt pain no more
Having undergone the time of change in body and soul
They chose the noble decision of wise men
Never to rise against those who made them see the goodness of endurance
A slave learns the tongue of his master and so they did
They knew their dream will never die they knew time will surely pass
They have a root planted deep in the veins awaiting rainfall
That a stream has a mother and to it, they flow freely
To one who put to breastfeeding the child learns her name the beginning of wisdom
Africans have gone through hell and back
Their vouchers are the long printed scares behind and deep in their hearts
Then they passed out of training. came home with zeal and purpose to mother Africa
They once toiled in these streets, crying and carrying loads
For the masters comfort while my brothers fall hard and never wake
Now they have a responsibility
To wash the land of the innocent blood of the fathers of sorrow
The oceans of sweat visible at a glance
And rebuild and repaint the walls of our fathers
But now their own offspring, the heirs to the throne of the land of South Africa
Have become the reincarnated nightmare of old
Only this time in our own color and to our own brothers and sisters
To accomplish the task of long ago when our fathers suffered under an alien invasion
And now I wonder and my bones tremble
If they are back from the dead,
Where else can mankind go?
What a pathetic end ours will be O Africa
Save us O our fathers from our brothers in this xenophobic era
(c) Amoak Derrick 2017
Promise me you will never leave
We are going to be together forever
Life without you is not the same
The world I have come to know will fall apart
I see you in my mind and in my dream
You make my life a perfect reality
I do not know if without you I can breathe
Without you is like living on life support
With a ninety percentage odds of surviving
Whatever you are feeling right now
Even if reaching out to your love is so far
I will do anything to hold your hand's forever
If only you would completely give me your heart
The stars will never depart from the sky
I will love you excessively as it is inferred to be
Share my world with you until the end of time
I will love you beyond this world
Give you delightful love
That will make the night scream
I will tender your heart like a flower
Cherish you for the best of my existence
All Rights Reserved© Akan Udofia 2019
I took you in for a brother
Carried you on my shoulder
It does mean a lot to me
To see you fulfill your dream
But what happened to your dream?
You seem lost deep within
Taking out your frustration on me
But why do you hurt me?
Throughout your struggle for liberty
I stood by you until you are independent
Because it matters to me a lot
You are my brother, your wellbeing I cared
But instead, stab me in the back
How could you be so heartless and ignorant?
Betrayed our many years of trust
For your selfishness, hate, and greed
I can never despise you
I will still love you
Even if you do hate me for it
You are my brother, we share the same blood
I hope the self-hate is incidental
My love for you has no negative empathy
Do not let your mind be controlled by hatred
Guide your thoughts, so it would not be lost
Do remember the sun will go to sleep
In the darkest hour of the night
You can get lost on the street
If you are not careful indeed
There will be no one to take the hit
You broke my heart a great deal and my trust
By allowing prejudice to defile the state of your mind
And shut the door behind
Thought you have learned from the past dear brother
We all need someone to look beyond our shoulder
To help us confront our vaguest day
And be back on our feet again today
All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia
Dedicated to the victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa
