YOUNG AFRICAN POETS

BEHIND THE MASK Hiding the hurt, hiding the pain  Hiding the tears that fall like rain.  Saying I'm fine, when I'm not So I wore a mask that always smiled,  To hide my feelings behind a lie. sometimes is good to be undefined than defined  sometimes is good to be unknown than known  leaving the world in doubt about you, So I wore a mask that always smiled, To hide myself behind a lie I feel that everybody is better than me  And that I can't do anything right.  This is how I've felt my whole dang life So I wore a mask that always smiled, To hide myself behind a lie

IT IS FINISHED [I]  Death and Grave  On that path of ignominy we trod.  Tho swept off in the wave of novelty,  You reign in the heart of our throats.  How can we forget so soon your cruelty?  More than an escaped beast with grown claws,  Angered by the shape of his chain's mark on his fur,  You have dealt us treacherously by our flaws,  Making new the sloughs on our ulcerated core!  How can we forget so soon  How you plagued us to die daily?  Sober like melting rubber in coal,  How could we ever forgive our weaknesses?!  War without end it was,  A sorrowful sorrow solely soled.  Threading our fatherland like servants  With crosses heavier than a rock could bear!  Now we know, you have faced your death!  We lie no longer in your druery gruel so cruel!  Saved by grace to tread on all threads as free men!  Oh death, we fear thee no more! oh grave, Damn you!...