Africa

Gondwana
Born of Pangaea
When separation first started
Like a unicell dividing

Africa
Spilt from India
And from America parted
Cut adrift and subsiding

Birthplace
Of all humankind
Whose seed has been scattered
Far from the Ma tree

Darkspace
That light left behind
From progress that mattered
In the quest to be free

Battleground
Of tribe against tribe
Whose rivers of tears
Still bloodstain the sand

Whispersound
Of fate’s changing tide
As hope’s rising years
Unify this great land

Wayne Visser © 2017

Book

I Am An African: Favourite Africa Poems

This creative collection, now in its 5th edition, brings together Africa poems by Wayne Visser, including the ever popular “I Am An African”, as well as old favourites like “Women of Africa”, “I Know A Place in Africa”, “Prayer for Africa” and “African Dream”. The anthology celebrates the luminous continent and its rainbow people. The updated 5th Edition includes new poems like “Africa Untamed” and “Land of the Sun”. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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I Am An African

I am an African
Not because I was born there
But because my heart beats with Africa’s
I am an African
Not because my skin is black
But because my mind is engaged by Africa
I am an African
Not because I live on its soil
But because my soul is at home in Africa

When Africa weeps for her children
My cheeks are stained with tears
When Africa honours her elders
My head is bowed in respect
When Africa mourns for her victims
My hands are joined in prayer
When Africa celebrates her triumphs
My feet are alive with dancing

I am an African
For her blue skies take my breath away
And my hope for the future is bright
I am an African
For her people greet me as family
And teach me the meaning of community
I am an African
For her wildness quenches my spirit
And brings me closer to the source of life

When the music of Africa beats in the wind
My blood pulses to its rhythm
And I become the essence of sound
When the colours of Africa dazzle in the sun
My senses drink in its rainbow
And I become the palette of nature
When the stories of Africa echo round the fire
My feet walk in its pathways
And I become the footprints of history

I am an African
Because she is the cradle of our birth
And nurtures an ancient wisdom
I am an African
Because she lives in the world’s shadow
And bursts with a radiant luminosity
I am an African
Because she is the land of tomorrow
And I recognise her gifts as sacred

Wayne Visser © 2005

Videos

Words and Music

Words of the poem, set to music by Hans Zimmer from The Power of One

Author Reading

The poem read by the author

Literacy Project

Kids from Upendo Middle Primary School in Usa River Tanzania read the poem. Upendo Middle Primary recently received 60 Kindle E-readers as Worldreader’s first e-reader project in Tanzania. A partnership between AfricAid and Thanks Be to God Foundation helped make this project a success.

Book

I Am An African: Favourite Africa Poems

This creative collection, now in its 5th edition, brings together Africa poems by Wayne Visser, including the ever popular “I Am An African”, as well as old favourites like “Women of Africa”, “I Know A Place in Africa”, “Prayer for Africa” and “African Dream”. The anthology celebrates the luminous continent and its rainbow people. The updated 5th Edition includes new poems like “Africa Untamed” and “Land of the Sun”. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

Share

Poetry Quotations

These quotations are taken from poems I have written, dating back to 1987.

Quotations

1987

Mists – Mists swirl, yet on my feet I stand – your hand in mine.

1988

Awake – Live the dream for soon it dies – life’s a dream, before we rise.

Life’s Dream – Life’s a dream, it seems to me, in which we choose our destiny.

Life’s Dream – We decide and we create; we walk the path and call it fate.

Life’s Dream – As we walk, we learn and grow, until in time we finally know that all is one and one is all.

Explore – Something calls me to explore, but locks and chains still bar the door.

Footprints – Sets of prints upon the sand – perhaps in time, in time I’ll know, where those footprints are to go.

Keep Up the Smiles – Who knows what and who knows how – the future rests on here and now

People – Cannot package, seal and brand – people, one must understand.

Release – Loved ones never leave your side – in your love, they rest and abide.

Reach Out and Touch – Reach out and touch someone in need – broken lives, hearts that bleed.

Reach Out and Touch – Give not to them advice nor creed – reach out and touch someone in need.

Dare Not – If I don’t dare, how would my loss compare to what I might well gain if my courage were sustained?

Pressure – Though pressure builds and workload piles, never forfeit joys nor smiles.

Pressure – Never lose your hold on hope – you have the means and you will cope.

Pressure – Never lose your will to win – have confidence in strength within.

Pressure – Know that as you persevere, what you strive for will draw near.

All Seems – Without, within, this world of dreams – life is never what it seems.

Un-Doing – I know the when, the why and how, but what becomes of here and now?

I Love You Mom – The freedom you’ve given is the freedom I need – you’ve allowed me to grow, having sown the seed.

I Love You Mom – You give of yourself and don’t count the cost – and the love that’s been gained will never be lost.

I Love You Mom – Consider each day of the year as a celebration of love with the ones you hold dear.

Perspective – There’s a crispy freshness in all that you do when your perspective changes to one that is new.

I Believe – I believe in you, I believe in me; I believe in all that we can be.

I Believe – I believe in sunshine and in rain; I believe no loss, for all is gain.

I Believe – I believe in the night and in the day; I believe that each finds their own way.

I Believe – I believe in seasons and the turn of tide; I believe in each sunset and each sunrise.

I Believe – I believe in life and in the living; I believe in receiving and in giving.

I Believe – I believe in peace and love divine; I believe in your way and in mine.

Only Love – Only love – it’s all that matters, all that binds, all that fulfils, all that finds.

Only Love – It’s all that holds, all that contains, all that is, all that remains – only love.

Mystery – There is a mystery which is you, a mystery which is me – and a mystery which is you and me.

1989

Quest Divine – Onward inward, still in mind – so much to do, so much to find.

More to come … watch this space!

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