What If My Dreams Are Different?

What if my dreams are different to yours?

What if I believe in a different cause?

What if I'm just taking a pause;

reflecting on the rule of laws enacted since '94?

What if our dreams are lost, too elaborate and without thought,

too splendid that those who fought,

are now forgotten and amount to nought?

What if all dreams are paused,

parked and shelved by a certain clause,

hindered and killed by all these laws,

preventing us from knocking on opportunity's doors?

Maybe reality is a bad dream and we can't awaken.

We're oppressed, enslaved, drugged and forever shaken,

by visions of poverty, war and the Earth shaking.

Maybe it’s not rocket science to heal those dying

from HIV, a dreadful disease that has the poor quaking.

What if my dreams are pure, and abound with love;

But those of a collective nature that inspire and nurture?

What if my hopes are not iron fists in a velvet glove;

But those of one who seeks wisdom, perhaps a soul searcher?

What if we loved each other;

Live and laugh like sister and brother?

Could we share and give without a bother;

In the same way commanded by the Heavenly Father?

Iculo; The World's First Song

The world's first song was discordant voices inspired by a most beautiful story, a story of inspiration.

The sound appeared to be chaos to some, they had never heard anything like it in their long lives on Earth. It was as if time itself had dared to slow down and appreciate the beauty of this gift. It was powerful; and so deeply moving that those none dared scoff at this melodic sound. It ushered a silence willingly surrendered by the souls of those who were blessed to witness it. In  silence they sat, their ears unaccustomed to the strange yet soothing sounds they were hearing.

The hot afternoon sun seemed to soften its heat as the sound filtered thrugh the air, every note rattling the leaves as if tickled by a breeze. The resonance between Nature and the human voice brought tranquility as the pitch soared through the vast African skies; as if it was responding to a being far beyond the eye could see. The heavens stilled for a moment in harmony, bearing testament to this remarkable sound.

The source of this melodic sound was Mzwilili, Kintu's second daughter. Her voice seemed to bring a cool across the whole village as her voice carried to every ear, beckoning each being to pay attention. The village elders found their spirits and voices moved by a certain something from deep within them; and were soon in unison with Mzwilili as the spirit of song and dance flowed through their veins, igniting fires of unknown passion. Their bodies flexed and flowed in movements never seen before; as if a gentle wind was blowing them from all around, as if they were being caressed by the very hands of Mother Nature.

In the midst of this trance-like dance accompanied by singing inspired her voice,  Mzwilili stretched calf skin over a hollowed-out log from a lightening-struck tree not far from beyond the fields. As if she had been instructed by a power, she tightly bound the calf skin on the one end of the log which she had now cut into the size of a grown man's arm in length. She then beat gently on the calf skin, now tightly bound to the log, with her open palm in rhythms that had the villagers break into jubilation. Each beat sent a pulse of life through the limbs of the elderly and they uncontrollably found themselves breaking out into dance. The young men and women rose in a multitude of voices and chorussed together, the sound of their voices making some of the older men cry unashamedly.

Thus a new song was sung on that day; and it was called 'iculo'.

African Child

Rise, rise African child;
Rise for your time has come
To take your rightful place.

This land of your forefathers
Lies in ruin and wounded at heart.
Rise African child;
The world awaits your healing.
Can you not hear it calling or see it weeping?

Rise African child for the time is nigh,
For your light to shine for all to see.
See it illuminate the planes and chase the dark away.
Rise African child,
African child shine!

Worry not about those who set traps in your way.
They lie and hide the truth away,
Hoping and scheming to lead you astray,
Wishing and planning you would gently fade.
African child the world awaits,
Can you not see that this is your fate?

Learn African child learn
Thirst for knowledge and forever yearn
Your courage should forever stand.
Though trial and tribulation lies at hand,
Have no fear and understand.
You are a champion,
You are a star!

Of freedom

Freedom is as pleasant as the full moon on the eyes;
it flirts with our souls in beguiling smiles
Teasing and taunting our foolish minds
with its many great promises and desires.

It sets our hearts racing, pacing, craving, yearning
For a parchment of thirsts in caverns far in feeling
It is exciting and bold, it is youthful and boisterous
Some fail to understand it and label it rebellious.

Freedom is the blood that runs through our veins,
For once it stops we’ll surely have no blood in our brains;
To ponder and imagine the many twists on our many ways;
To attain it we must make sure our will prevails.

Freedom is the smile shared with a stranger;
For in that moment we know no danger
of thoughts and actions spurned by anger
Not resolved through life's struggles and banter.