Tuesday 15 July 2014

Ancient Songs of the Djembe (/ˈdʒɛm.bɛ/) Drum pt. 1

Ancient Songs of the Djembe (/ˈdʒɛm.bɛ/) Drum 
I was born in ancient times gone when songs;
Told a story long by the distant gone,
My roots are planted in the soils of West Africa;
Where songs of peace prevailed in historical gather,
I descend among the Bambara people in Mali;
I’m the most versatile drum—
That sounds in melody when the sun sets calm,
I transcend between the Malinké people;
As my voices roar in distant echoes of Africa,
I’m the cultures of many but one— O Mama Africa;
How tyrant your soothing sound had become?
But I was born in ancient times gone;
As hunters of deviant lions gathered in song at dawn,
And foot trekkers traveled long— in their song;
And their hands marveled to the rhythm of the drum beat,
My fingers dance crossed like warriors of humble dreams;
And echoes deep, to the edge of my palm and their fingertips,
I’m the son of the African sun to my blood stream;
And my hands clap in song as shakers dwell in winters deep,
I’m the tree of many roots to my colourful leaves;
Between the Bantu peoples further south to my knees,
I’m the great Induna, the silent drummer;
I’m the mystical sound from the natives along the Caprivi,
I’m the great river that snakes through the great Zambezi;
And I’m the great mountain that scatters in voices deep,
I travel many miles afar in songs to my peace;
And further too, many ears of many generations further, at ease,
I’m the ancient song of the bongo drum;
Like ancient songs of the djembe drum,
I’m the heart beat of the Congo arms;
My songs touch deeper to the nerves of an angry one,
My echo drums further to the edge of a hungry one;
And tongues wither as wings fly higher to the djembe drum!
I’m the unknown one between untold Psalms of the gone….

15052014-1717

Onalethuso Petruss Ntema

Book: The Shadow (Beyond Shadows): Life, Reality and Mental Inspiration poetry
2015, XLIBRIS Publishing UK

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