April Is National Poetry Month!
AFRICA FOR THE AFRICANS
MARCUS GARVEY
Say! Africa for the Africans,
Like America for the
Americans:
This the rallying cry for a nation,
Be it in
peace or revolution.
Blacks are men, no longer cringing fools;
They demand a place,
not like weak tools;
But among the world of nations great
They
demand a free self-governing state.
Hurrah! Hurrah! Great Africa wakes;
She is calling her sons, and
none forsakes,
But to colors of the nation runs,
Even
though assailed by enemy guns.
Cry it loud, and shout it Ion' hurrah!
Time has changed, so
hail! New Africa!
We are now awakened, rights to see:
We
shall fight for dearest liberty.
Mighty kingdoms have been truly reared
On the bones of blackmen,
facts declared;
History tells this awful, pungent truth,
Africa
awakes to her rights forsooth.
Europe cries to Europeans, ho!
Asiatics claim Asia, so
Australia
for Australians,
And Africa for the Africans.
Blackmen's hands have joined now together,
They will fight and
brave all death's weather,
Motherland to save, and make her
free,
Spreading joy for all to live and see.
None shall turn us back, in freedom's name,
We go marching like
to men of fame
Who have given laws and codes to kings,
Sending
evil flying on crippled wings.
Blackmen shall in groups reassemble,
Rich and poor and the great
and humble:
Justice shall be their rallying cry,
When
millions of soldiers pass us by.
Look for that day, coming, surely soon,
When the sons of Ham
will show no coon
Could the mighty deeds of valor do
Which
shall bring giants for peace to sue.
Hurrah! Hurrah! Better times are near;
Let us front the conflict
and prepare;
Greet the world as soldiers, bravely true:
"Sunder
not," Africa shouts to you.
1927
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