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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)

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