A poem about the wonders of Africa by David Tombale: Homecoming

Homecoming is about celebrating the beauty of Africa.

Homecoming

My heart swells with a love for

Africa, the thunder of drums

beneath the green canvas of tents,

the roar of lions across the rivers and

marshes, the swell of oceans that kiss

the hulls of oil ships crossing the

Horn of Africa, the rains across

the mountains that slap against

the skin, bracing and alive,

the jazz clubs, the night spots,

Africa why are we alive if not for your

music? Your Mandelas, your cruise ships,

your safaris,

the dreams of little black boys and

little black girls in their school clothes

speaking and rapping in Swahili and Zulu,

Afrikaans and Tswana.

Africa I am the last ship crossing the canal

yearning to run against the sands of foreign shores

but I will never forget you, your sweet morula,

the language of my fathers and mothers barefooted

and straining, tilling the hard soil for watermelons

and wheat.

Africa I see you on the backs of postcards

and upon the silver screen,

Africa I see you as my plane lands on

the tarmac in Oliver Tumbo or on

the runways of Sir Seretse Khama and

all these songs say,

“Welcome back.”