Ma. Jessica Malto

The Dark Continent

By: Mthoko Mpofana

'Africa my beginning, Africa my end. I was born here and I will die here'
Africa you bear my hopes and fears
Poverty, famine, crime and AIDS are words which plague Mother Africa's name
These demons bring me shame
While people try to make Africa better, a few let the hardship overpower them
Shame on them
They give up hope and go about their knavish ways
Even though there's hope on the horizon, be that as it may
They continue to destroy what little Mother Africa has
Africa is no longer what she was
'Mother Africa is weeping'
Yet a new dawn may be creeping
Mother Africa and her children are beautiful, they know their place in nature
Even though hardship may corrupt good nature
In the name of ALL that is good, I hope Africa will rise one day
And we'll stop the suffering before she frays
The words upon a famous poet, I hear
'Africa my beginning, Africa my end. I was born here and I will die here'

An Essay about the poem The Dark Continent

Africans do really have rich mind when it comes to writing poems and literary piece. They have this certain urge to write a literary piece that voices out what they’re feeling and what they’re experiencing. They also have patriotism in their hearts for their mother Africa. Mthoko Mpofana is the proud writer of The Dark Continent. He’s not famous writer but he made an eye opening poem for the whole world to know  Africa and her children had undergone these pate years. He wrote about the unutterable situation of Africa.

In its first lines, “Africa my beginning, Africa my end. I was born here and I will die here.” Depicts the writter’s loyalty to his homeland, the Africa. It also says that Africa, their mother land gives hopes and fear at the same time. In the poem also, stated that Africa’s biggest problems were Poverty, Famine, Crime and AIDS which gives stain to Mother Africa’s name. as we all know from Africa’s history, they become slaves of other nation. In the poem, some over comed their fears and hardships, and didn’t let themselves to become slaves in their own land. Some give up and lose hope, and all of this destroyed what little things Africa has. This is the reason why Africa is weeping and mouring. On the other hand, the writter still has a positive outlook for Africa and it’s men. He’s still hoping that they can recover and rise again one day, and all of the sufferings and agony will end at the right time and everyone will be equal, Black or White.

All oin all, the writter gives  hope to every african that in time,everything will be fine and they will conquer these hardships.