The Motherland

By Mercy Moige Mecha

O Africa, O motherland,
Land of the rising sun,
Land that throbs with livelihood,
Where golden desert and fecund green reside,
Unfurl your beauty and enthrall the world.

You are no longer a child,
You are a woman of splendor,
Though your umbilical be uncut,
And you are all tarnished with blood
Arise like silvery mercury.

Cleanse yourself till you glow like
Polished ebony,
Anoint yourself with castor oil,
Don yourself in linen black,
And scream out for joy
Let all the peoples of the earth hear,
Make  them stop and give ear.

O Africa,
Craddleland of all man,
Burst to fruition,
May those who cursed and scorned you,
Bless you and chant your praise.

Talented Northampton based writer and poet Mercy Moige Mecha is part of the Northampton Writers group and on the way to having her short stories and some of her poetry published in their literary journal. This  September she will be pursuing Writing for Children(MA) at Winchester University.