Tears of Africa

Like the river Congo;
the tears of Africa flows-
As children are separated from their mothers by the
Masquerade of war during its dance of chaos
and as children are forced into mines and caves
to hunt for gold-
a bar for a slice of bread.

Like the river Zambezi;
the tears of Africa flows-
As tyrants attach their chariots to the necks of their people
whipping them to move, denying them water, food or rest.
As they viciously hold on to power like a
starving baby clinging on to a mother’s breast

Like the river Niger
the tears of Africa flows-
As eye-seducing pearls and stones are covered in the blood
of children, mothers and fathers in the swamp, sieving stones from
pearls, under the watchful eyes of men in military uniforms,
who receive orders from men in kiton suits

Like the river Nile;
the tears of Africa flows-
As children are made to
hold on to their rifles, and aim at their own people
and suffocate their barren lands with corpses

And like the river Orange;
the tears of Africa flows-
As HIV feeds on young and old in the ritual of privation
And as hate and retaliation beats the drums of war-
awaiting her children to dance

And the tears of Africa continues to flow