My African Queen
This morning, I watched you
Singing gaily with your friends as you went to the streams
A delicate pot unwaveringly balanced on your head
Clad only in your unique piece of cloth
Miraculously tightened under your armpit
Not revealing anything
Yet revealing everything
Everything I need to see
Harmony defines you.
I watched you again this midday
As you ran after the young ones
Innocently content in their mud to bother about baths
I heard the sweetest of melodies
Melodies so pure, the nightingale would be jealous
The sweet sound of beads against beads
Touching at the right places and times
Conspicuously concealed.
Not revealing anything
Yet revealing all
All I need to know.
Harmony defines you.
At sunset, I watched you at the performance of our moon dances
Your body jerk – jumping to the M’bala
Subtle – blunt seduction redefined in your Mapouka hip movements
Bare feet moving regally in time to the Adowa
Baby soft back folding and unfolding to the Agbadza.
Movements so unrevealing
Yet, extremely revealing
Eloquent enough to say all I need to hear
Harmony defines you
I watched you again
When you sat by me under the great Baobab tree
Your shea butter oiled skin gleaming under the moonlight
I heard you speak with the wisdom of old
You laughed the laughter of the knowledgeable
Out of your belly sprung forth
The mastery of Egyptian constructors
The skill of Kenyan craftsmen
The understanding of Nile bank farmers
A chubby dynamite of complete royalty
Never revealing
Always revealed
You are my African queen
Harmony defines you.
This piece is part of a collection of afro-centric poems written between 2000 and 2012
Augustina O. Oti-Twumasi is a communications strategist, and L&D practitioner. she loves to inspire change in herself and in others. She does this through her work as a Training and Workshop Facilitator, Learning and Development Consultant, Creative Writer, Life Coach, and Integrated Marketing Communications Strategist.
