Fare Thee Well, Madiba Page 1

Goodbye, Grand Warrior of Mveso Of Qunu, of Transkei, of Soweto Grand Warrior of Rivonia and Robben Island Goodbye, Grand Warrior of Azania, of Africa Fare thee well, beloved icon of the World Fare thee well, resilient Madiba I speak not with anger though I ought to I speak not with bitterness though I should These you banished, Grand Warrior When you embraced humanity and hope You battled anger, bitterness and vengeance You won peace, truth and freedom And you won Africa and the World Grand Warrior, you won them all You won me over, too, Madiba For while you were on the Isle Frozen in time and space Anger and vengeance we embraced Where are our people? (Silence) What have you done to our people? (Silence) Where is the justice for our people? (Silence) Can silence answer me? (Silence) What’s that you say? What? And again they responded with silence. Why, we asked, why this impunity? Why pretend to be a Nation A Nation, that is, without a State? Was that not, we asked ourselves, What you were prepared to die for? What you were frozen in time and space for? So, anger we seized, arms outstretched And stoked the fire of vengeance, yes Many were the casualties, as you know And much blood was shed and limbs broken As witness the myriad battles and battlefronts That turned South Africa into a war zone Then finally and triumphantly, Grand Warrior You and the thousands that were incarcerated For giving voice or limb to our cause Returned home, Grand Warrior, As free men and women of a Nation In need of a leader and a Vision (Please continue to Page 2)