Natives

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When the gentle moon settled at the east

and the Fang warriors returned from the west,

they washed their blackness in the Zambezi.

The icy cold talons of the Ancestors 

aiming to pluck out their eyes 

did not deter their betrayal.


With their own hands

they sprinkled their pride and values into

the river and came home

Naked!


Young bleached smelly damsels 

Washed away their blackness and 

shame in the Nile 

whilst waiting for skin decay at old age

they tossed their shriveled bottoms about,

married to the bottle.

Drowning in self-destruction on the streets

Naked!


Identity held onto the reins of colour 

Shame glistening on the brow of Morals

Culture twisted turned and manipulated.

The elderly groped about helplessly 

Naked!


When at sunset the voice of wisdom 

gathered the children to tell the tales of identity 

under the African moonlight,

Civilization, which had been lying in ambush 

descended on the little ones and raped them

into submission,

after stripping away their dignity.


by Rahinatu Yahaya

Ghana Secondary High School

Tamale





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