Crying 'Africa'

Once the colour of the night
graced with starry skies

The full moon left little to wonder
of the morning sunrise
Then we were singing “Africa.”

Then, lightning flashes struck our clouds
and raging thunder burst open
the sky and let the rains pour.

Now we are flooded in austerity; we flow
scrambling for support,
tramping over one another for a gasp.

The current of diseases and hunger
washes us away. We slop in the
tides of corruption and as we are washed,
we flounder and we cry “Africa.”

Shivering like sparrows in winter,
we are thrown from side to side
like trees dancing unwillingly to
the music of the wind

Bruised on rocks and stunted tree roots
As we drift helplessly in the flood;
Choking, wailing, crying “Africa.”