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Modern Poetry from Africa

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Modern Poetry from Africa Ramsey Muspratt, Cambridge Gerald Moore was born in Ulli Beier was born in London in 1 924 and read Germany in 1 922 and studied En lish t m li a Ca . a u a g bridge He ter t re in Engl nd. Since began to be interested in 1 950 he has been living in African writing during thr ee Nigeria, where he is a years he spent as an extra lecturer in the department of mu a u o in N a F om x a-mu a r l t t r igeri . r e tr r l studies at to l 1 956 1 960 he was the first University Co lege, Ibadan direct or of extra-mural He is editor of the literary a z B studies at Hong Kong m ga ine, lack Orpheus, and t University and visited China, in 1 96 1 helped o found M a a c u for a a Siam, Cambodia, and Malaya . b ri, l b Ib d n Since 1 960 he has been writers and artists, which is director of extra-mural already having an influence He studies at Makerere College on African cultural life . ‘ a m m a o o - o of Mba in Uganda. He is e ber is ls j int edit r ri ’ o Amo his of the Black Orpheus Publicati ns . ng oo are Yoruba Poetr committee and his first book, b ks y S even African Writers, Art in Nigeria I 96 O and West A rican Mud was published in 1 962 . f S culpture Cover design by Massimo - Vignelli Ramsey Muspratt, Cambridge Gerald Moore was born in Ulli Beier was born in London in 1 924 and read Germany in 1 922 and studied m li at Ca . a u English bridge He ter t re in England. Since began t o be interested in 1 950 he has been living in African writing during three Nigeria, where he is a years he spent as an extra lecturer in the department of m a o in m x a-mu a ur l tut r Nigeria. Fro e tr r l studies at 1 956 to 1 960 he was the first University College, Ibadan direct or of extra-mural He is editor of the literary z studies at Hong Kong maga ine, Black Orpheus, and t University and visited China, in 1 96 1 helped o found nd M a a c u for a a Siam, Cambodia, a Malaya. b ri, l b Ib d n and a Since 1 960 he has been writers rtists, which is director of extra-mural already having an influence He studies at Makerere College on African cultural life . ‘ a He a m m a o o - o of Mba in Ugand . is e ber is ls j int edit r ri of the Black Orpheus Publications Among his oo are Yoruba Poetr committee and his first book, b ks y A rt in Ni eria I 6 0 S even African Writers, g 9 1 62 and West A rican Mud was published in 9 . f S culpture Cover design by Massimo V ignelli — P E NGU I N AFRICAN LIB RARY AP 7 E dited by Ronald S eg al Modern Poetry from Africa GE RALD MO OR E AND U LLI B E I ER Modern E D I T E D B Y GE R A L D MOO R E A N D U L L I B E I E R Penguin B ooks Bt fi fi i en uin Books Ltd H armon s orth Mi e sex P g , d w , ddl U . S . A. en uin Bo ok s Inc. 00 C i er Nlill oa B P g , 33 lpp R d altimore 1 1 Md AU S TRAL IA en uin Book s Pt Lt : P g y d, 762 Whitehorse Roa d, Mitcham, Vict oria Thi s sele ction first pub lish e d 1 9 63 This se ection co ri ht Ge ra Moore and U i Beier 1 6 l py g ld ll , 9 3 Made and printe d in Great Brit ain Lt d by Cox and Wyman , ondon ak enh am and e a in L , F , R d g Set in Monotype Plantin k o sub ect to the condition th at it sh a n This boo is s ld i ll ot , wa oftrade b e ent t e-sol hired out or other ise di s os by y , l , d, , w p ed ’ f ithout th e u lisher s consent in an form of bin in or o w p b , y d g cover other than that in whi ch it is published Contents Acknowledg ements Introduction MAD A GA S CAR jean-joseph Rabéarioelo Four poems from Traduits de la nuit : ’ (2) What invisible rat ‘ (3) The hide of the black cow ’ ’ (4) She whose eyes ‘ ( 1 7) The black glassmaker Cactus Flaoien Ranaioo Song of a Young Girl Song of a Common Lover S enghor In Memoriam Night of Sine Lux embourg 1 939 Totem Paris in the Snow Blues The D ead Prayer to Masks Visit All D ay Long 50 In what Tempestuous CO NTE NTS ’ ’ Leopold S eda r S enghor New York You Held the Black Face I will Pronounce your Name Be not Amazed David Diop Listen Comrades Your Presence The Renegade Africa The Vultures To a Black D ancer Nigger Tramp Birago Diop Diptych Omen Vanity Ball Viaticum GAMB I A Lenrie P eters Homecoming Song .W e have Come Home A Plea for Mercy The Search Ellis Ayitey Komey The Change - s o o G. Awoonor William S ngs f Sorrow 78 Song of War 80 The Sea Eats the Land at Home 8 1 N I G E R I A Olokun 85 86 The Imprisonment of Obatala 87 C O NTE NTS ’ john P epper Clark Easter 8 8 For Granny (from Hospital) 8 8 Ibadan Fulani Cattle 89 Cry of Birth Abiku 9 1 ' Gabriel Okara The Snowflakes Sail Gently D own Piano and Drums Were I to Choose The Mystic Drum Adhiambo Spirit of! the Wind One Night at Victoria Beach Frank Ai —Imoukhuede g One Wife for One Man Michael E cheruo Sophia Christopher Okigbo Love Apart Eight poems from Heavens g a te Overture Eyes Watch the Stars Water Maid Transition Sacrifice Passion Flower Lustra Bridge Four poems from Limits Siren (69 the mortar is not et d y ry . ( 1 ) Suddenly becoming talkative ’ ‘ (2) For he was a shrub ’ among the poplars 1 08 ‘ ’ (3) B o reed anks fi . C O NTE NTS ‘ ’ Christopher Okigbo (4) An — image insists Wole S oyinka Telephone Conversation D eath in the Dawn Requiem Prisone r 1 Think it Rains Season CO NGO (B RA ZZA VILL E ) ’ Tchicaya U Tam si Brush-fire Dance to the Amul ets A Mat to Weave CO NGO (L EO P OL D VILL E ) Antoine-Rog er Bolamba Portrait A Fistful of News CAP E VE RD E I SLANDS Ag uinaldo Fonseca Tavern by the Sea 35 0 TOME Aldo do Espirito Santo Where are the Men Seized in this Wind of Madness ? 1 39 ANGO LA Agostinho Neto Farewell at the Moment of Antonio jacinto Monangamba S OU TH A FRI CA To the Proud The Echoes As Long as I Live C O NTE NTS Bloke Modisane NYA SA L A ND David Rubadiri An African Thunderstorm K E NYA john Mbiti New York Skyscrapers ‘ oseph Kariuki Come Away, my Love ~7 M0 0AMB 1 ! UE ’ fose Craveirinha The Seed is in Me Three Dimensions Noemia de S ousa Appeal Valente Malanga tana To the Anxious Mother Woman S ources of the Poems Notes on the Authors Index of First lines 1 83 Acknowledgements F O R permission to republish the poems in this anthology acknowledgement is made to the following - am to I e For Awoonor Willi s ky ame, Accra ; for Antoine Roger Bolamba to Présence Africaine, Paris ; for Kwesi Brew to Ikyeame ; for John Clark to Black Orpheus ; for José Craveirinha - a a Pa for Bira o D o to P to Pierre Je n Osw ld, ris ; g i p résence Africaine ; for David Diop to Présence Africaine and Black - Orpheus ; for Aguinaldo Fonseca to Pierre Jean Oswald; for - Antonio Jacinto to Pierre Jean Oswald; for Ellis Ayitey Komey to Black Orpheus ; for Valente Malangatana t o Black Orpheus ; - for Agostinho Neto to Pierre Jean Oswald; for Gabriel Okara - to Black Orpheus ; for Jean Joseph Rab éarivelo and Flevieu Ranaivo to Presses Universitaires de France ; for Aldo do Espirito Santo to Pierre-Jean Oswald; for Léopold Sedar E o du u Pa and Black r heus Senghor to diti ns Se il, ris, O p ; for Noemia de Sousa to Pierre—Jean Oswald ; for Wole Soyinka to ' ’ d Black r heus for Tchica a Tam Encounter an O p ; y U , si to Caracteres . I N TROD U C TIO N This gesture, simultaneously one of rejection and asser é A tion, was N gritude . In the words of imé Cesaire, ‘ a he Blackness is not absence, but refus l . T fact that the gesture itself was Often made from the genial surroundings of a Paris café, that it was Often an affair of the intellect and emotions rather than of manners or ways Of life, does not alter its cardinal importance in the development of modern The of Né African poetry.
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