Africa Still Bleeds Poem by Angela Bontle Ditumiso

Our confidence still leaks
Centuries later we're still weak
The question is,
Will we ever recover?
We're still sprawling around naked
Will we ever have the strength to cover up?
We're unashamed
That's why we let them scurry in
And undress and exploit her skin
Kiss her softness and steal her worth
Right under our watchful eyes

This time he got no guns with
He got no goons
Nor does he have those brothers
Who betrayed their own
This time his weapon is his skin
Out of our own will
We worship him like he's a god
‘Brother make way for the rich man
Don't disturb him
His time is money
Don't be no obstruction
Don't you know he came here to help us? '

What if I say I'm a coward?
What if I say I'm still held captive?
What if I'm scared of dying over what's mine?
Yes, what if I say I choose life?
What if I'm one or the other?
What if I'm all of those?
Or maybe I don't want to be like Rob
Take my land back only to crumble
Be rich but look and live poor
All these diamonds in my possession
Yet I still go to bed hungry
I run from my gold
Smuggle myself into neighbouring
Countries like I'm a bag of cocaine
Maybe I'm just being wise
Maybe I know what's good for me

Take a deep breath, please try to be calm
Think about it
What foundation are we laying for our children?
Are we going to feed them what our parents fed us?
Remnants of a shady past
Are we going to inflict slavery on them too?
See them bleed from the wounds of our forefathers?
Are we that naïve or that trapped?
What is freedom if we're not free to take what's ours?
When we keep selling our children's future
Way before they are born
Africa still bleeds, this time
Her children are doing the stabbing