Silence

In the desert of my heart
which expands the endless
desert of sand,
With hands full of air 
and sand...
Silence
Lays a veil over my veil.
 
My mouth, dried up of air and sand,
Joins in with all cries…Silence.
My eyes, full of air and sand...
Silence
Adds images to an image.

Tuareg, Sahara
 

The Prayer of the Sheep
 
O Lord, I pray,
give me lots of green pastures
and may the river run freely
to quench my thirst.
Give me abundant milk to feed my lambs
and lots of wool for the women
who weave carpets and coats,
and a warm blanket for my shepherd
who guides me to pasture.
Protect me from wolves
who prey over my little lambs.

(from a School Child)

To Live Up There

We stayed outside,
we are left for the toil,
we have remained for the tears.

Oh, how we wish
that there would be 
a place for us in heaven.
Why don't I have wings 
to fly up there?

If a strong rope 
would come down from the sky,
I would cling to it, 
I would climb,
I would rise 
and live up there.

Basuto's Song
 

O Creator

O Creator, o Creator
are we not your children?
Don't you see our hunger?
Give us food.
O Creator, I come to you,
I long for you,
give us food and everything else
so that we may live.

Prayer of the Bushman

You created me Black

I thank you, my God,
for having created me black,
for making me
the mixture of all sufferings.
White is the color of occasions,
black is the color of every day.
I have been carrying the world
since the beginning of time
and my smile on the world,
created the day in the night.
We are the night,
we are the mystery.
And with us, and for us,
there are the stars.

B. B. Dadie