A Poem from My Trip to South Africa

Throughout my blogs I will refer to different points of my life. One was life changing when I visited Johannesburg, South Africa eight years ago. My friend Raashida lived over seas and I'm so thankful to her for exposing me to rich culture. Here's one of the poems I wrote on my journey.

Great Journey

Passion flows through my vains
Like the water falls in Zimbabwe
My love is as strong as the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean
Romance is as mellow as the sun setting over the Egyptian Pyramids
Heart as big as the continent of Africa
I AM ME!
Knowledge to pass onto others that seek Sankofa
Nurturing my loved ones as a Mother who loves their child
Thoughts of my future…pleases me
Those in my life are the pillars in my temple
Holding me up through the good and dismal
One who holds my hand feels the strength of a warrior
And the knowledge of an elder
Those who embrace me feel the warmth of the sun as it blazes over the Sahara Desert
I AM ME!
Divinity flows through me as the ancestors guide me through my paths
Journey after journey
I seek more knowledge and see things that I want to see
Learning from different traditions and religion
Pleases me!
My face is young but my tongue is old
For I speak the wisdom the ancestors have passed onto me
I sat underneath a Baobab tree
Listening to the cool wind as I felt a breeze
I raised my hands high to give the ancestors praise
On this glorious day I begin to think of all I went through
From birth to childhood to adulthood
Amazes me
As I walk to the well I think about my American ways
How they tried to brainwash my people
To believe that your natural hair is nappy, your color is too dark and your features
Are just not good enough
HOW DARE THEY!
Coming back HOME taught me a lesson
As I feel the hot sand beneath my feet
Wondering why it took so long to come back home
I am on a journey, would you care to join me
To free my peoples minds and spirits
And let them know that black is beautiful no matter what shade
And to free your hair and do your thang!
I’m on a journey through Africa
I’m on a journey to be one with myself
To free my mind and everything about me
I'm on a journey to become...free

Fall 2000

Copyright 2008 Serena Wills All Rights Reserved