I. Awareness
Africa wakes up, hungry
She prowls in packs and preys
She wakes up wild and wary
And hides in herds to graze
Lurking low, Africa waits
She leaps out with surprise
She sets her traps for bait
And casts her dewy eyes
Africa takes off, soaring
She rides on wings and prayer
She tweets and hoots, imploring
And swoops down from the air
Lying still, Africa blinks
She twitches in her manger
She shuts one eye and thinks
She listens out for danger
II. Renewal
Baking sun and bright blue skies
Tinder sparks to flame
Blazing grass and fearful eyes
Of creatures wild and tame
Thunderbolts and flashing cloud
Torrential rain and flood
Quenching pools and splashing shroud
Roll-playing in the mud
Pitter-drops and patter-sounds
Amidst the mist and showers
Blossom-bursts and splatter-grounds
All painted bright with flowers
Mating calls in season’s heat
New playgrounds for the young
Rhyming with new reason’s beat
Fun frolics in the sun
III. Diversity
Africa, stretching far and wide
Herds migrate with season’s tide
Hippos snort, crocs lie in wait
Most survive, some meet their fate
Africa, living wild and free
Monkeys swing from tree to tree
Warthogs squeal and lions roar
Dolphins leap and eagles soar
Africa, teeming great and small
Lank giraffes and bugs that crawl
Zebras mix with wildebeest
Hyenas laugh while vultures feast
Africa, joining earth and sky
Gorillas nest and springboks fly
Elephants rumble, wise as sages
Life joins life across the ages
IV. Freedom
Rising from the dusty plain
With hope in every burst of rain
This land of everlasting strife
This Africa, our source of life
Breaking out of rusty chains
With wildness flowing in her veins
This land where all creation roam
This Africa, our common home
Reaching out across the years
With echoed genes and veils of tears
This land of skulls and mystery
This Africa, our history
Forever feral, never tamed
With restless destiny unnamed
This land of the eternal child
This Africa, forever wild
Wayne Visser © 2017
Book
I Am An African: Favourite Africa Poems
This creative collection, now in its 5th edition, brings together Africa poems by Wayne Visser, including the ever popular “I Am An African”, as well as old favourites like “Women of Africa”, “I Know A Place in Africa”, “Prayer for Africa” and “African Dream”. The anthology celebrates the luminous continent and its rainbow people. The updated 5th Edition includes new poems like “Africa Untamed” and “Land of the Sun”. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.
