Mr. Africa Poetry Lounge!
Le Fou de Bamba
Oh chained human being of Bamba
with your turned up truth exposed
far all the world to see that pass
your Bamba sand dunes crashing Nigeriver
Oh fou Oh crazy (?) man of Bamba
hobbling in chains muttering denunciations
while on dusty shelves Mao,
Marx, Lenin and more Reds lie
unread by those as you uninterested and unfed
Oh chained human being of Bamba
they say you're faster than a gazelle
this Bamba boatstop invades your private purity
thus you wade in the water shoving slim pirogues aside
walking on water to get your crumbs
braver than six hydrogen bomb pushers
soul cleaner than a child's navel
Oh Fou of Bamba
you who fear not
you who have no hangups and no blood on your brow
we are brothers
fou de Bamba fou du Mali
we two know where they are
we two must break your chains together
Written by Ted Joans (1928-2003)
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