This strong Afrocentric poem by celebrated poet, Michael Kwaku Kesse Somuah, was first published on Kalahari Review in October, 2012.

Enjoy!

THE UNFINISHED SONG

I am that I am

And just as I am -

I am Nkrumah, Mandela, Lumumba,

Cabral, Sumanguru, Sundiata,

Kunta Kinte.

 

I am the liberator

And unifier of your sovereignty

I am the Apam,

the Asafoforo and,

music to your dancing feet.

 

I am that I am

And just as I am,

I am the soil to the harvest of yam

that satisfies your every hunger

and the wealth to your barn.

Here the voice of the Poet

The I am to your quarters

The Nnoboa to your well being

And the broom to your fate.

 

Just as I am

And as young as I am

I am the train from Manzini,

Maputo, Lebombo,

Chu-ku-cha-ing and horning across Soweto

Timbuktu, and lazing its metal along

Nsawam,Donkorkrom and Gyeasikan.

 

I am Africa

The I am that I am

I am the Dondo

And just as I am the Odono

The Atumpan and Seprewa,

I am the traditions, the values

And cultures of our land.

 

I am that I am

And as refined as I am

I am not the bull from Istanbul

I am the Zambezi River of rolling canoes

I am the rhythm of the Djembe

The touch of Agbaja

The whistles of Onyina

The mystic stone of Laranbaga

I am the natural serenity of culture and beauty

I am a proud African

A Ghanaian, mother of utmost beauty

 

I am that I am

And just as I am,

I am Wole Soyinka, Atukwei Okai,

Ayebia Clarke, Njabulo Ndebele,

Gordimer, Haki Madhukuti,

Mariama Ba, Ameer Baraka, Kwaw Ansah,

Mbizo Chirasha.

 

Uhuru Uhuru

Who don’t know go know

Ayi Kwei Armah, where are you?

Vincent Okunor, we are calling!!!

Wa’Thiong O, arise to the writers voice

For I am the tormentor of literature

And calabash of artistic freedom

I am Ubuntu

I am Africa

I am that I am

A writer of the world

Michael Kwaku Kesse Somuah is an award winning writer and an Author from Ghana. International Congresses and festivals have included his poetry presentations and has traveled widely to Greece, USA, Canada, South Africa, India, Holland, Paris-France, Italy, to read and perform his poetry. Some of his awards include the National Youth Achiever's Award in Literature where he was honored by His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, the Kostis Palamas Poetry Prize winner in Greece, World Empowered Youth Poet and World Cultural Ambassadorial Award at the University of British Colombia in Canada among others. He has performed on several platforms including the Mayor of Vancouver's office during ExplorAsian Heritage month in Canada, He has been invited to participate in this years World Poetry Congress by the United Poets Laureate International in the beautiful City of California in November.