White African

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White African

I am a White African
I have seen the pendulum swing the other way
And consider it normal
That it should happen this way
So I decide not to take offense
When events become exclusively black
And blacks talk of decolonising literature
As though to say that only the black voice counts from now on
And the white tongue must be still or lay dormant for a while
Because the white man had his turn
It’s the black man’s turn now
I can understand the rationale
Behind such thoughts
But I do not agree
And believe it is wrong
To think in this vein
Where individuality is stripped away
And thoughts and feelings have worth
Only by the colour from which they are conveyed.
Why does it come into play?
I am a White African,
Born and bred in Joburg,
An X-generation child
Who saw Nelson Mandela released from prison
And become our president
Not understanding the logic of that
Until I was old enough
To visit our past and gain understanding
But where was my choice in that?
I did not choose the colour of my skin.
I was born with that.  
The freedom fight had been won
And we just carried on.
I stand still on African soil
And one idea comes to mind
To be judged on merit
And by the values we hold inside
Is where our focus ought to lie.
I am a White African
And my voice counts as much as yours,
Not because I am white,
But because I am human
And share this world with you
At this time and In this place
And I want peace and harmony
Just like you. With you. 

Comments

Melissa said…
This is super awesome Sister! LOVE IT! Brilliant work!
October 13, 2016 at 7:19 PM
Inktaps said…
Thank you, sis ☺
October 14, 2016 at 10:10 AM
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