Africa
Africa - meaning Summary
Resilience After Long Oppression
The poem personifies Africa as a woman who has lain through abundance and beauty, then endured violent exploitation: daughters taken, sons sold, forced conversion, and cultural plunder. It moves from a history of subjugation and loss to a present assertion of awakening and movement. The closing stanzas insist on remembering pain and stolen riches while celebrating a rising, striding continent reclaiming dignity and history.
Read Complete AnalysesThus she had lain sugarcane sweet deserts her hair golden her feet mountains her breasts two Niles her tears. Thus she has lain Black through the years. Over the white seas rime white and cold brigands ungentled icicle bold took her young daughters sold her strong sons churched her with Jesus bled her with guns. Thus she has lain. Now she is rising remember her pain remember the losses her screams loud and vain remember her riches her history slain now she is striding although she had lain.
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