Africa and how we write...

Africa is one vast Continent with over 2,500 languages or more.
A billion people plus and in any one minute you can talk about the Africans
kissing, hugging, making love, breaking up, being shot, being born, buried,
blown-up-in-minefields. You name it, it is there.
For the whole world to watch and judge at will.
Taking from it what is good for yourselves at any one time.

I can find you a starving baby, a crying Mother, a dying Aunt and a sick Granny.
Just in that one minute. It is all there for all to take at will.
Whatever suits your purpose.
If you are so inclined and unkind as you rubbish the very face of Africa.
Saying nothing positive just pointing out her faults,
showing the world her weakness that lies within.

Making out that without help she is useless.
She is too fragile not to assist and even in that very assistance
so too you are taking. Taking always taking, making out you are aiding
but all the while you're abetting, on whether or not to steal the lot or
just enough to keep her on her knees...Keep taking, keep taking,
weeya waking up to your taking attitudes of yesteryear.

Joe Pollitt, 2016