A very ancient Zulu song for the old and the dying, said to date from before the reign of Shaka.
The body perishes, the heart stays young,
The platter wears away with serving food…
Oral Poetry from Africa
Filed Under: Relationship Poems
Filed Under: Relationship Poems
Filed Under: Relationship Poems
A Yorùbá song, partly satirical, partly pragmatic. Sourced from the Black Orpheus magazine that was founded by Ulli Beier in 1957 and co-edited by Wole Soyinka and Es’kia Mphahlele.
My wife told me
I go to the market…
Filed Under: Relationship Poems
A Hausa song from northern Nigeria. The singer is longing for a child. It is from an anthropological record of the Hausa people, partly compiled from an oral account given by Baba (1877–1951), the daughter of a Hausa farmer and Koranic teacher, and translated by May K. Smith.
May Allah give me a true friend whether he’s small or big,
Even an infant sucking at the breast, or one lying in the womb…
Filed Under: Relationship Poems
An Acoli girl’s love song from northern Uganda, collected and translated by the famous Ugandan poet Okot p’Bitek, author of Song of Lawino. It would be sung during the ortak or courtship dance.
Where has my love blown his horn?
The tune of his horn is well known…
Filed Under: Relationship Poems
A Hausa song from northern Nigeria, popular with women. It is from an anthropological record of the Hausa people, partly compiled from an oral account given by Baba (1877–1951), the daughter of a Hausa farmer and Koranic teacher, and translated by May K. Smith.
The barber doesn’t want a burning passion:
He doesn’t wish it to break him up…
This site opens a window on something that will be new to most people, namely, the vast amount of superb poetry hidden away in the 3000 different languages spoken in Africa … More