I saw the queen of Afrika

Standing upon great

Many

Meandering hills

Of heaps

Of heights

Too great

For rubble

 I saw the queen of the world

Bending down

Looking for gold

in a dirty collage

Of copious pieces

Of meaningless scraps

Discarded even by the poor

I saw the queen of Afrika

Bending between what was burning

Unbothered by the smoke-filled wasteland

She bent down looking

For gold

In dirt

In burnt plastic

Unmoved by the choking stench

Unfazed by the vulgar vapour

Surrounding her

Africa is rich: Image Source www.africanexecutive.com

Where was her throne?

She had long been dethroned

By the greedy

Her gold mines had long been raped

So there the queen of the world

Bent down

Like one forgotten

Looking for gold

In ashes

In dust

In order to feed her children

I saw the queen of Afrika

Her beauty lifted my head

Her head unbowed by poverty

Her dignity unscathed by the dump

Who goes to the dump

To touch filth with her hands

Looking her best?

Who dwells in such poverty

Digging for possible treasures

Dressed so dignified?

She stood between the smoke

Shining like a diamond

Her value unmistakeable

Her presence honoured us

The whole world had come to see her

In waste

Worth was found

White birds in numbers

Flocked from afar

To pay homage to her Majesty

With the powers

Invested in me from above

I,

Crowned her

Confirming her instinctive suspicion

Blowing away slavery superstition

White men from afar came

To honour her too

She was born Queen

No longer disdained

No longer looking for scraps

She is the gold

The world had missed