I am Nigeria, Daughter of Africa | Teen Ink

I am Nigeria, Daughter of Africa

March 5, 2010
By Izaac96 GOLD, Jersey City, New Jersey
Izaac96 GOLD, Jersey City, New Jersey
16 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Both Poverty and riches are offspring of thought" -Napoleon Hill


There we were gathered,
Nations old and young
Nations who flags flew higher than the sky
Nations of the revolution of the earth
And nations ,who shake the rest with a loud silence.
One of these nations,
Booming and proud
Walked up to me and asked mockingly “who are you”

My heart froze, and suddenly
A spirit of art came upon me
And like the great poet Chinua Achebe,
And as if I was Homer and the rest of the countries were children who longed for a story.
I began to sing, not knowing what I was saying but eloquently.
I sang
‘I am the son of the morning
And the daughter of light
I am the song of the birds on the brightest summer day
The red earth of which you build your houses.
I am the smell of newly roasted corn
And newly fallen dew.
I am the taste of sweet corn
And the smell of a hopeful day
I am, the song the birds sing on the prettiest summer days.
I am the very sun
That brings life chlorophyll to all your plants.
I am the joy of the sad woman
I am the light of the glorious morning
That ends the long nights of pain and agony
I am the freshness that you all smell
I am the essence of beauty.
I am Nigeria,
The daughter of Africa,
Well known among the heathen.
And as if rehearsed, I stopped as if rehearsed
And a large green and white Nigerian flag,
Flew high by itself
And everyone marveled
SAYING loudly AMONGST THEMSELVES
“THERE’S YET TO BE ANY LIKE THIS FROM MOTHER AFRICA”
I smelled in my heart
As if reaffirming to myself
“I am Nigeria”


The author's comments:
I was born In Nigeria and this poem reflects my feelings about my country despite what might be happening there presently.

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This article has 8 comments.


Izaac96 GOLD said...
on Oct. 5 2011 at 5:17 pm
Izaac96 GOLD, Jersey City, New Jersey
16 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Both Poverty and riches are offspring of thought" -Napoleon Hill

Thankyou so very much..

on Oct. 5 2011 at 3:46 pm
Beautiful, touching, sense-filling poem.  May the sons and daughters of all nations learn to see and celebrate the beauty of their homelands with the same feeling that Issac brings to his beloved Nigeria.

Izaac96 GOLD said...
on Oct. 2 2011 at 8:04 am
Izaac96 GOLD, Jersey City, New Jersey
16 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Both Poverty and riches are offspring of thought" -Napoleon Hill

thank you for your comment

on Sep. 30 2011 at 5:11 am
afflatus SILVER, Bhopal, Other
5 articles 0 photos 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be honest. It's one of the few things in life you can control.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!but it doesn't happen like this,.....

i love the way u describe.....love ur poetry....

Izaac96 GOLD said...
on Aug. 1 2011 at 8:09 pm
Izaac96 GOLD, Jersey City, New Jersey
16 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Both Poverty and riches are offspring of thought" -Napoleon Hill

..thank you so very much!

on Aug. 1 2011 at 4:08 pm
HannSawyer15 BRONZE, North Brunswick, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 107 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I say... lets speak it. Lets fight it. Lets write it. There's nothing to hold on to if it's already gone."

Wow... i'm actually speechless. You're a really good writer! Loved it!

Cizarina said...
on Mar. 23 2010 at 4:38 am
Isaac, I love this poem!!

I rate it 4.5 :-)

Keep on dreaming, you're gong far.

on Mar. 19 2010 at 11:05 am
This is a wonderful poem that bring hope and assurance of better tomorrow to Nigeria and to other Nation that tomorrow will be better.Love the poem and do appreciate your effort and the use of words.