Don Mattera (South Africa)
"Azanian Love Song" by Don Mattera
Like a tall oak
I lift my arms to catch the wind
with bruised fingers
a Child is born;
a mother’s anxiety and pain
Hide in a forest of hope.
Like a straight pine
I point my finger at God
counting a million scars
on my dreams
and somewhere in the ghetto
a Child is weeping;
a woman writes her legacy
on leaves of despair.
Like a weeping willow
I drop my soul
Into a pool of fire
Somewhere in the dark sanctuary
I hear the sound of a Freedom Song.
The Child has risen
and walks defiantly
towards the lion’s lair
Undaunted
Unafraid
Don Mattera is recognized as one of the foremost activists in South Africa’s democratic struggle for Freedom. Born in 1935, of Xhosa and Italian heritage, he inspired a generation of young people with his words. As put by Pastor Kelvin Sauls, a native South African and activist in Los Angeles, "the creative artivism of Baba Don Mattera had a transformative impact on me and all my siblings. He articulated our pain and possibility, nightmares and dreams. From Subukwe to Mandela to Biko, his writing introduced us to, and educated us about freedom fighters the apartheid regime wanted us not to know nor remember. A mentor and guide in our township, he practiced and taught us by example the power of non-violent resistance through the power of the pen!! During my visit home in January, 2020, I had the joy of attending a community-wide birthday celebration and launch of the Don Mattera Legacy Foundation. This reunion was a rainbow display of his influence & impact. From poet laureate to local hero, Baba Don Mattera has taught me how one's faith is not just a path to connect with the divine, but a path of compassion towards connecting with neighbor as kin, especially the children."
Another Poem by Don Mattera:
No Time, Blackman
Stand Blackman
and put that cap
back on your beaten head
Look him in the eye
Cold and blue
Like the devil’s fire
and tell him enough
Three centuries is more than you can take, enough!
Let him hear it
If he turns his face and sneers
spit and tell him shit
it’s all or nothing
He’s got all and you have nothing
Don’t bargain with oppression
There isn’t time man
just no more time
for the Blackman to fool around...