My Destiny
I have a destiny,
That most of you look down on,
As being poor and backward.
That many desire to change and have me assimilated,
But I'm surely destined to be African.
When you meet me, I've got more melanin,
And my smile isn't as charming as you wish,
And my nose is just flat on my face,
With my teeth having that dark gum,
Like I was born during an eclipse,
Or moreso the darkest of nights.
Because I'm destined to be African.
I am born in Uganda,to Ugandan parents,
Whose ancestors were purely black,
And sipped on African liquor,
And chanted to their African ancestors,
At each festival or when they gathered.
Because I'm destined to be African.
I do not hide from the sun for its hotness,
Or for the fear that it will make my skin darker.
I'm not afraid of carrying loads on my head,
For the fear that I may evolve into a spider .
I don't feel embarrassed waving at a congregation,
Like my black role model did back then-
Because I'm destined to be a black human.
When my friends see me crying,
They compare me to a chimpanzee,
And laugh that he's my brother.
But I relax, and feel the pride in being me,
And then take it easy, for it doesn't count.
Because I'm destined to be African.
We all have got dream countries,
We say,that we want to be in Canada or California,
But I whisper to my soul,not to rush,
And warn my lips,not to utter an abomination.
I compose myself to only say,
That I wish to travel to Ghana or Ethiopia or Egypt.
Not because I'm narrow minded,but-
Because I'm destined to be African.
I wear my kitenge or even bark cloth,
With beads around my waste and ankles and wrist and neck.
And they call me ancient woman,
Who has not been visited by the enlightenment era,
But I laugh out loud, for what they want me to be,is a great error.
I eat African dishes,of pounded yams or cassava,
And drink milk along or enjoy the bush meat.
But they call me criminal, accusing me of poaching,
But I just found a guinea fowl on my way to fetch firewood,
Commanded my dog to get it, and indeed, I took home the meat.
Because I'm destined to be African.
If I said to you this very night,
That when you see me dancing like a Ugandan,
Standing like a Congolese, dressed like a Kanyan,
Speaking like a Nigerian, eating like a sudanese,
Laughing like an Egyptian, sleeping like an Ethiopian,
Leading like a Tanzanian and preaching like a South African,
It is because I have an African destination-
It is because I'm destined to be African.
Ampurire Anitah.
Copyright ©
Ampurire Anitah
|