I Am An African

by Abdisa Wayyaa
(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

I am an African
Hard hit by heat of the African Sun,
With dried lips of hunger
With dried bone of starvation,
For me does it matter, to live or to die?
For me to live is to suffer,
Aching from the scorch of a hard life
To cry for bread every day,
To see the cruelty of nature,
with all its cruel creatures
Yes, man I am an African
With the burden of life all on me,
Even my brother and sisters
Robbing me of my bread,
The big and the small all are the same,
May be the king and the priest
All are against me,
Chasing me like an animal,
Yes man I am an African,
For me to live is to suffer,
To die,may be, is to rest
If not
For me does it matter, to live or to die?
I am an African