I have a dream of an Africa

In celebration of Africa and in recognition of Africa Day on Monday, 25 May, we  share LLM Mbatha’s poem I have a dream of an Africa with you_._ Through his poem, he reminds us of Africa’s inspirational leaders, the richness of her natural environment and the community values where all children belong.  He encourages us - `with arms wide open’ - to join him in living the dream of an Africa free to achieve its peaceful potential and to show ourselves as Africans and the world - ` an Africa that we can look at and smile about.’

I have a dream of an Africa

I have a dream of an Africa                                  A united Africa! Self-sustaining and self-reliant Able to produce And trade within her-self And with the world at large A proud Africa Of a civilizing people Like our Egyptian, and Olmec ancestors… I dream of an Africa that Patrice Lumumba died for Kwame Nkrumah stood up for Nelson Mandela paid dearly for An Africa of GIANTS An Africa without genocide, starvation, or disease An Africa, without dictators! A free Africa taking on the driver’s seat Teaching without enslaving- Showing the world it’s possible! No refugees because all the Children belong! An Africa, a Mother Land Where an elephant feeds from the elephant tree And the gorilla roams free And the lion goes to hunt Because God loved him to! An Africa we can look at and smile about.

I have a dream of an Africa But from this one, I shall not wake Because I dream standing up My eyes looking out My arms open wide To those of you mad enough, to dream with me.

By Zulu poet LLM Mbatha.  This poem has been shortened, for the full version go to http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-have-a-dream-of-an-africa/

To read more of Mbatha’s poetry go to: http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/llm_mbatha_2009_1.pdf

Africa Day celebrates the anniversary of the formation of the African Union, which is an alliance between 54 member states to address shared issues and represent the continent in international negotiations. The Organization of African Unity was originally formed on May 25, 1963 and replaced by the African Union in 2001.