I Have Known Africa

By Madu Chisom King David

There's no place in the world
As the natural scenery of Africa.

I've known Africa,
Surrounded by breathing waters,
Bordered by a strip of narrow coastal plain.

I originated from the loin of a wretched widow
Residing at the bank of Imo River,
And i grew up under the roof of her eyes
Before slavery took me away...

I've known Africa,

I've known the arid bio-diverse hotspot on earth,
That is richtersveld -
A desert landscape peopled
With rugged kloofs and high mountains;
And i've seen the camel caravans carry desert
Nomads across the sands of richtersveld.

I've known Tassil n'Ajjer
Whose range is composed of huge sandstones
And at every birth of erosion natural rock arches are born.

I've known Kgalagadi reserve
Whose terrain heaved with
Red sand dunes,
Sparse vegetation,
Occasional trees
And dry river beds.

I've seen water trek underground,
Supplying life to grass and the camelthorn trees
Growing in the river beds ...

I've known Makgadikgadi salt pan
Sitting in the middle of dry savanna
Of Northeastern Botswana;
And i've seen sweet-scented breeze smile at
The blades of baobab in Makgadikgadi salt pan.

I've known Mount Cameroon
The paradise of active volcanoes;
And i've seen dusk deluge kisses on
The lips of the volcanoes during eruption.

I've seen Idi Amin Dada perch his eyes
At the Lake of Bogoria,
Known for geysers and hot springs;
And i've heard the sun say hello to
Lesser Flamingos weaving its nest on the shoreline.

I, Dennis Brutus and Nelson Mandela
Have trekked from Bogoria to Kosi bay Estuary
Then to Pont do Ouro in only ten hours or so.

And there we built tents at twilight,
As chill songs of white-backed night heron
And Pel's fishing owl stirred the strands
Of our hearts and lured us to repose.

I've known Bazaruto Archipelago of six Islands in Mozambique,
From Benguerra to Bazaruto,
From Magaruque to Bangue and
San Carolina - with three legendary
Beaches with coral reefs to the shore.

My fathers of old caught parrots
And Moorish Idols in these islands,
They surfed and fished in these islands as well.

My feet have tapped shadows from
Tropical forest of Congo River Basin -
The home of Africa's pygmies.

I've inhaled vaporous air
At the edge of Table Mountain,
That attracts the eyes of earth's skiers.

I've known Donko Nsua at Assin Manso -
A slave river where our slaves
And wandering prophets bathed
After their long journeys.

I've known Africa,

I've known the black kingdoms of the Nile,
From Abu Simbel temples carved out of a
Mountain on the west bank of the Nile to
Jebel Barkal where unfading 159 lines of hieroglyphs
Were inscribed on an erected granite monument.

I've known Africa,

And my love for Africa
Digs deeper than Congo River.

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Madu Chisom KingDavid is a Nigerian. A student of History and International Relations at Imo State University, Owerri. When not writing, he can be found researching and singing. You can more of his work on his blog.