Dear Beloved Country Poem by Jessica Nobubele Frame

South Africa I read about your pain in my History books
I’ve listened to countless stories of the struggle days
And was appalled at the way my “ancestors” treated people
How whites thought of themselves as better than blacks
And the dignity of thousands was trampled on

Beloved country,
It disgusts me to hear about how rich governments lent money to the apartheid government
And today we are still paying off millions in debt
While our children go to school with empty bellies
And our people still suffer from unjust housing schemes and poor education

South Africa I’ve loved you
Cherished your rich diversity and beauty
I’ve enjoyed the beaches and the amazing sunsets of the Cape
Marveled in the lush green landscapes of Kwazulu Natal
And was awed at the immense beauty of the Drakensburg Mountains
But I still feel your pain

I feel your pain because this is the only place I’ve ever called home
And my heart is here
And I see the stark poverty
… and I see the luxurious living of the wealthy
And my heart sinks

My heart sinks because I see little evidence of our so called “democracy”
Don’t get me wrong, I know we’ve come a long way,
A journey that was paid for with the blood of school children in the Soweto uprising
And the death of young men who fought for freedom with their lives
I see that we are now more unified than before
And we shout with victory when ama-bokke-bokke make us proud
And we sing that Anthem loud
But my heart still sinks

My heart sinks because I read about the corruption which we accept
And when what was meant to be a good policy leads many to leave the beloved country
and we are not all on equal ground
and the democracy still lies dormant

I see that we are not perfect (nor will any nation be)
Because men and women will still treat each other without dignity
And our hearts do not sing the democracy song
Because false democracy is no democracy at all
And only when we see people change,
can we see a nation change

My heart sinks
….But then I feel the hope rising
This hope, that sounds like an African drum
And it beats louder than before
And I picture a just society that stands up for the oppressed
And I see the nation uplifted
With shouts of joy
And the anthem of our freedom song
And I realize, beloved country,
That you were always meant to be
…a nation of hope