Oh my gosh, Tate. I could not love this piece more! Out of all the nations, Africa has a very special place in my heart. I came incredibly close to joining the peace corp several years ago because of my passion for the people, culture and what they suffer daily. What is sad, is the pictures we see in National Geographic, the images of crying children that flash across our television screens, is the truth. At times our eyes do not betray us and what is happening every moment in Africa lives with me. Illness, starvation, slavery, persecution, murder...the list goes on and on. Incredible poem, Tate. Really, really, really.
This is a point of interest for many. Nicely done. Again, I think something so emotionally charging would be DYNAMITE in prose. As far as mechanics go, you've done a great job.
Tate, the tenderness and deep love for mankind that lives deep in your heart, really shows here. A heartrending awareness to this. Thanks for sharing this!
Interesting, that the cradle of civilization started in an ocean of land and not an island. Islands have a water ocean to protect them from assimilation, but Africa has vast expanses that are not able to give buffer zones. Growing amidst a lot of trees, I get ancient feelings that lions or tigers might run me down in an open savanah. It is not often that I have been in the middle of a sea of people and it makes me feel insecure. Throughout history men have continued to try to carve islands out of their invironment to always maintain and be in control. Men's best ideal through all of history was in moments of brilliance when he decided to try to harmonize with his environment, but then he gets a whiplash when he recovers and only manages to just barely survive. Hopefully, there is a better level of consciousness that will eventually win out. Thanks for this important piece of poetry that inspires thoughts of a better humanity.
An intelligently written poem. The use of ryhme is masterful and it has an impressive flow. Africa to me has always seemed to be the last untamed place on earth. Over there there are places where there doesn't seem to be any kind of forced morality and man and nature coexist on the same level. Things are just the way they are without any "Civilized" facades and conditioning. That is what makes it interesting to me. Well done.
This was really touching. It's approach is very thoughtful and to be candid, i really don't appreciate how sometimes people outside my lovely continent write inexperiencedly and arrogantly about Mother Africa. That's partly why i write---> to kill ignorance and raise awareness.
Your piece avoided any contention from me and i'm happy that you were inspired to write such a magnificent piece. This is thoroughly thought out and deserved all the magnificent reviews it recieved. Good Job here Tate,
I'm proud.
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I am a product of the Midwest. Raised on the plain states of North America. I was nurtured on a .. more..