When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in Sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black
And you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grey
And you calling me coloured?
When I go in Sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black
And you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grey
And you calling me coloured?
I found this poem sometime last week and that was my first time of reading it. Read on the internet that it was written by an African child and was nominated as the UN poem of the year for 2008.
There are so many beautiful things about this short and sweet poem, but quick question: is there anybody on earth that is white (as in White) or Black (totally black)?
Let us know what you think...
There are so many beautiful things about this short and sweet poem, but quick question: is there anybody on earth that is white (as in White) or Black (totally black)?
Let us know what you think...
What is the name of the African Child. Let us not remain anonymous oh!
ReplyDeleteComments from Facebook:
ReplyDeleteUche Umez: i thought it won a UNESCO recognition
Jerome Onipede: This is wonderful. Thanks...
Wole Oguntokun: The Writer?
Joy Bewaji: love this! lol!
Kehinde Imole Ayo: black is beauty!!!
Ademola Monsuru: This is fantabulous. Beeing black, nothing like it. Stylistically, the poem shows a regular rhyming scheme in the first stanza and which shows the uniqueness of the African race irrespective of situation, always constant like the Northstar unlike the description in the second stanza which is absolutely inconsistant and nothing to write hame about. Tayo, Almighty God would preserve your life as you continue to make impact. l know you well, you have not come out of your shell yet. Best of luck!
Olupona Olanrewaju: Nice one though, but a little on the racial side
lol,not trying to burst this African child's bubble,but this 'poem' has been around since forever,surprised someone just came across it...remembered this from way back (junior sec days).i just hope if it wins the UN poem of the year,some random person will not come out of the blue and start claiming ownership to the 'poem'...lol.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem, agree with Hawt seen it several times before!
ReplyDeletePretty poem . Pretty thoughts . God bless the child .
ReplyDeleteTo Day Is Vasant Panchami The Day To Celebrate Saraswati Puja The Goddess Of Knowledge. This Month Is Of Colours.The Plants & Trees Would Become Colourful With New Leafs & Flowers. In India Small Kids Are Sent To Schools & Those Who Are Still Small Are Trained At Home With New Pen & Ink.They Are Being Tought As How To Hold The Pen With Their Small Fingers.After Few Days Festival Of Colour HOLY would Come. People Will Play With Coloured Water & Dry Colour Called Gulal Applied On Fore Head Of Seniors & In Return They Gives Blessing To Become Person Of High Education & Qualification.This All Happens In India And we Have Full Sympathy With That Black African Boy Who Has Written This Poetry Explaining Whites Are Blessed With Colours & He Is Not.Come To India & See Your Self That We Indians Too Have Blacks Amongst Us Living To Gather Happily With Out Any Discrimination Of Cast,Colour And Creed. DEVNDRA SURJAN , NAPIER TOWN , JABALPUR-482001 INDIA
ReplyDelete@devendra, In india there are still ppl who are untouchable. even today there are places where low cast ppl have separate wells, separate place in bus, separate hotels etc. even now there are high caste ppl who do not permit low caste ppl into their house. there are ppl who pretend that they do not have caste feelings but cleanse their home with holy water once the low caste ppl leave their house. even now we can see boards displaced saying house for rent , but for brahmins only.even now ppl do not marry inter caste(leave marrying a low caste .they are even considered untouchable). low caste ppl are not even permited to listen to vedas. the punishment if they listen to it is put molten lead in their ears. i think african ppl are better of than the dalits of India
ReplyDeleteThis poem has been around since the 1980s. my daughter learned it at school and was told it was written by a 14 year old< West Indian girl, but... guess what, she is a GIRL so an African BOY is wrongly attributed, twenty years or so later!
ReplyDelete