Swarthy Tigray!
Black Tigray burned face,
How many times were you bed
bound in throes?
How many times did you die,
Buried in an unmarked burial places,
Only to miraculously rise,
The indomitable enemies to face?
Swarthy Tigray, beauty full of grace
How many times did you face
The executioner trying to pierce
you with his lance;
Only to discover you are made of
a liquid fire in midair that prances;
To deliquesce in an instance
Offensive Lances;
And the culprits go in trance;
Hoisted with their own petard-
o less but comeuppance?
Bronzy burned face;
How many times did you stand
in defense of the children you gave birth;
From time immemorial against all wroth;
Be it nature or manmade malice?
Black Tigray gracious mother
At a time of excess or dearth,
You did give birth
Gallants sons and daughters in success
To stave off enemies’ policy of
Scorch to earth,
To deface and leave you in disgrace?
How many times did they pollute your rivers;
Burnt your forests?
How many times did they plundered your wealth;
Trampled your fence?
Y
How many times did they rip off and slash your flesh,
Only to discover an unremitting proud-flesh to resurface;
To stave off the intruders afresh?
How many times have the obstreperous
sons of yours,
Been cunningly enlisted;
To undermine your sovereign place,
and your good name defaced;
Only to discover
Your divine power
Is beyond their militaristic hardwires?
Swarthy burned face
Mother of the relentless;
Never I have I hesitated your resilience,
And your rock harden endurance!
I am blessed;
I am one of your race
I have been away for so long I confess,
But never have I slept in peace
Amid the aliens, moiling with my fists,
To make ends meet;
That one day the nakedness
and brutality you & I now face
Shall properly redressed!!
Temesgn Kebede
03-09-21