Beautiful Africa

Dainty queen undevoured Bride of the rising sun Beautiful Africa, The savor of thy fragrance Calls my tongue to sweet ballads! Your velvet skin carved in black gold On your loins do diamonds glow Your perfume is the silky oil of Cairo And your smile is like the sun Upon the hills of Kilimanjaro. From the Nile to the Niger, Orange to Zambezi, Hypopo to the Congo, Beneath your mounds are treasures That oozes beyond measures. Africa my Africa, Daughter of the ancient days Sister of the untamed braves Hunter of the thousand forests Goddess of the black race How much I love thy gaze! Here my lady, A sandal of precious stones For our moonlight dance On your carpet of liquid ore, Oh Africa , my Africa!