Borrowed Wisdom, Coloured Insights

Pic from Nature Artists ~ Judy Scotchford, Brisbane, Australia ~ represents the San people of Namibia.

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Nominated by UN as the best Poem of 2006 -

Written by an African kid (writer's verbatim retained)

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When I born, I black

When I grow up, I black

When I go in Sun, I black

When I scared, I black

When I sick, I black

And when I die, I still black

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And you white fellow

When you born, you pink

When you grow up, you white

When you go in sun, you red

When you cold, you blue

When you scared, you yellow

When you sick, you green

And when you die, you grey

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And you calling me coloured??

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RESPONSE: Our "white" rainbow is rusty

It needs a good spit and polish

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Answer to a poem out of Africa ~ Chinua Achebe's "Butterfly"

Pic from ABC

Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe won the 2007 Man Booker International Prize for fiction, beating such celebrated nominees as Philip Roth, Margaret Atwood and Ian McEwan. But he also writes poetry. Here is Butterfly, one of his poems from Matt's Poetry Pocketbook. Matthew John Williams (a poet in England) is one of many who run websites to maintain a list of African poetry.

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BUTTERFLY

Speed is violence

Power is violence

Weight is violence

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The butterfly seeks safety in lightness

In weightless, undulating flight

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But at a crossroads where mottled light

From trees falls on a brash new highway

Our convergent territories meet

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I come power-packed enough for two

And the gentle butterfly offers

Itself in bright yellow sacrifice

Upon my hard silicon shield.

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AFRICAN SOUL

Africa is not speed
But African power is growing
Africa is growing literary weight
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The African soul seeks safety in cultures
In mystic, undulating beliefs
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But at a crossroads
Where harsh light
From other worlds
Falls on brash new voices
Convergent visions
Clash
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You come
Power-packed
With stereotypes
While the confused
African soul
Offers itself
Composed?
Composing?
In colourful sacrifice
On your
Politically
Electrified
Wires
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