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The Spirit of Africa

Submitted by Chiori on Mon, 2018-04-09 08:04

The spirit of Africa
is in the thick skin that breaks the mosquito
married by the sun and bathed by the rain
Though dirty but lovely
with a hand-mould of Akpu for my hungry tummy

The spirit of Africa
is in those warriors carved in woods, Amadioha, Sango let’s call few
it’s in the talking drum and the metallic town crier
is in the green pastures
long ago robbed but yet stands
what a loving memory to reminisce

I love Africa my home
though timid you may say
a place I can call home
with no bars to pull around my feet
Sheltered with the big green Iroko’s
and delicious winds that accompany it to my hungry soul
all this makes the spirit of Africa

Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Review Request (Direction): 
What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?
Editing stage: 
Editing - rough draft

Comments

Simon

Mon, 2018-04-09 08:18

Simon's picture

this is the African spirit, it really shows the culture and tradition of Africa.
thank you for sharing this poem with.

Chiori

Tue, 2018-04-10 15:07

Chiori's picture

thanks bro

always remember to make a critique of other poems
using the hoe is not madness for nothing

author comment

Eumolpus

Mon, 2018-04-09 15:38

Eumolpus's picture

a think your poem has great spirit, and really strong energy. I would use it as a jumping off point for a longer poem or many different poems as the subject is so big. It's epic! When I hear the songs about the spirit of Africa from Rey Lema, I think they mean the Ivory Coast and Nigeria, which despite huge cultural differences are somewhat the same people, like Europeans are the "same" people compared to those in India.

There is such diversity in the spirit in Africa- From the north countries and Egypt to the south and Namibia, such different languages and cultures. I love "delicious winds" and your other images.

We in the USA have just starting hearing again about renewed conflict in the Congo. Hundreds of thousands of lives... when will it end?
Looking forward to seeing more poems with this theme, that investigates the many complex aspects of the spirit of your continent.

...

...

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

trekker

Mon, 2018-04-09 19:45

Well done my fellow countryman. Being so distant it brings back fond memory. The imagery is well described to give this poet a welcome flashback. Thank you and keep writing.

trekker(born in Jos, 1956)

Chiori

Tue, 2018-04-10 15:09

Chiori's picture

Thanks you Eumolpus and Trekker

always remember to make a critique of other poems
using the hoe is not madness for nothing

author comment
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