For The Khoisan - Son Of Man Poem by Anand Brown

Were you there in 1652 when the Drommedaris hit our shore.
And the Dutch came armed and eager for war.
An overlapping ecstasy of man,
All to desimate the San.

Did you hear the terrified women scream?
From out of the clouds of passionless steam?
An interchangeable dust.
Of forces sexual lust.
To create an offspring bare
Were you there?

Did you see innocent men bleed
Because they wanted to protect their seed.
Did you witness violence you could not bear.
Were you there?

Did you run after the Boesman child,
Who ran from the barrel of guns wild!
Children running for their lives
To avoid the pinch of white men's knives.

Did you offer a hand to a battered Khoi,
While he was kicked around like a broken toy.
Did you feel his pain?
Did you watch him go insane?

Now coloured man you stand
Like a fool you don't understand,
You grope at cultures all a miss
Craving for some false cultural bliss.

Would you rather see me choke,
Because I am a histocultural joke.
A lost soul betrayed by history books,
While evrybody stands around and looks.

But look upon yourself better,
Past pain is now numb, it does not matter.
Let us remedy our sores,
And think no more of wars.

Were you there when the San used to smile?
And their blessings mount pile on pile.
When their children laughed and played,
Under the sanctity of Gods foundation layed.

When the dancing feet of Shamans drummed a sacred beat
Moving through the body from the feet.
A unity of hope, peace and good grace.
When the Kalahari was still a good place.

Smile brown child.
Sing brown child.
Rejoice brown child.

Because you have been paid for.