African Conscience Poem by Niki Nicholas Nkuna

Africa should be the colossus of the African continent
Every branch of it should be under its wings
The visitors and settlers should be made
To feel the fluctuates of its inclement weather
Its umbilical cord, arms and head should be respected
What they managed to undo by hook of crook
Should not allow them to lay claim to perpetuation
Unfortunately that has been the case

Thus they claim reversal cannot be done, let alone reparations
Thus the squirrel hide of the timid African means the reign
Over the subdued African conscience will be perennial
That what they invent in their shores will be used to set the record straight
That indeed it is the invention of the decade for the world
The African psych would be stalled and forever cry for the gods of invention

The flow of materials, worth and worthless along the seas around the world
And above in the air should be kept on, thus stultifying the African ingenuity
Alas, the Caucasian spider web has grown wide
And covered the African conscience in Toto
The playground is almost limited to want and consumerism
Everywhere all over the world
No invention, use or sell

No wonder the trees in Africa have branches that bend backwards
And suddenly rise to the occasion of receive
Africa will continue giving off its precious metals
Because its ingenuity has been stultified
Its conscience of consumerism rejoices because of the return
Of its gifts in any colour other than black

The sporadic spurts of African ingenuity cannot be let to outshine
The world’s inventions of Yesterday, today and the time to come
The space is owned and everything in it
Therefore the horns won’t grow despite the cows’ care
The African psych is forever clutched by the dependency syndrome
This is for effect to affect a fear culture of daring and ingenuity
This status is so big and almost sacred

Thus Africa is lolling in the mud waiting for the smart to come from Europe
Or everywhere outside of Africa
The smug that raises false hope is that of a hobo
That as long as he receives that’s how good life is
And should be until the ring of the last bell

N Nkuna,18 January 2014