I love poetry. I enjoy the cool, quiet moments by myself just reading elevated words from the pages of a book. My favourite poets have always been Gabriel Okara and Taban lo Liyong. I have also enjoyed the poetry of Toni Kan.
Why do I like poetry even though some have said it is a dead art form? I can't probably tell an answer but I recently got some poems sent by my friend Aderemi Adegbite, a young award winning poet. One of them struck me instantly, it is titled The Black Pride. It is simply a poem about a parent telling their child about black consciousness. I believe Africans need to keep the message of this poem alive.
Be proud of who you are. Black and proud. Enjoy the poem.
The Black Pride
Be proud my child, be proud
Of your endowed black shining skin,
Glistering like the sparkling stars
Above in the glooming sky
At arrival of the glowing moon.
With pride my child, with pride
Must you display your beauty
Along city streets
Of Africa, land of bounty and beauty,
From coast to coast in the wider world.
You are black-skinned my child,
Yes you are dark-skinned,
Yet the sparkling makes it lovely
Whilst gleaming with sprinkles of adoration
Across the vast coasts of nations.
My child, be proud with your pride,
For black, dark shimmering skin,
To the world is symbolized as power,
Strength, manipulation of creativity,
Is an unquantifiable paragon of beauty.
(c) Aderemi Adegbite, 2006.
I hope to feature more of Adegbite's poems on this blog as time goes on.
