African In Need

Africa is in need, Africa is in need Africans may be schooled, learned they may possess degrees and doctorates in their bags there may carry any cowries But Africa wants no mushroom dresses it want not hill heaps of cowry shells to press buttons of continental patriotism Africa does not need those globe-trotters Africa needs new babies not cloned the ones with honest humility in their hearts those with genuine love for humanity the ones who place their species on white clouds Africa is in need of babies of free calling the ones who feel for Africa is their mother those persons raised by blind families to live blind lives of humane commitments Prophets ordained in bushes of Africa Soothsayers with oracles from Western forests Saviors anointed from snow and icy hills cannot claim to heal wounds eaten by termites Africa is in need of those simple babies the ones who can put aside their blue English and rainbow French, and climb down from jeeps babies who can sing lullaby for old mother to rest