THE BIRDS ARE SINGING

POEM BY
BIRUK G/ MEDHIN

DEDICATED TO THE CHILDREN OF AFRICA

This is the allegory of an African bird trying to
tell the whole of Africa to stand united
against HIV/AIDS under theme of "AIDS:
the Greatest Leadership Challenge on the occasion
of the opening of second African Development Forum (ADF)

at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
December 3 - 7 2000

e-mail: BIRUKK@hotmail.com
Tel. 251-150601, 251-1 516182
Mobile:    2511203389
Fax:        251 342033
P.O. Box 90686

The setting of this poem is a certain rural area in Africa. Where a father who just lost his first born- son, because of AIDS is explaining to his younger son about the catastrophe which is hovering all over Africa and killing thousands of its children symbolically trying to warn the citizen of Africa to be on the safe side.

THE BIRDS ARE SINGING

Ehh.. hh.. h – my son

At dawn under the black sky
of the world
There is the sound, with perfect rhythm
melody of birds, composing with drum,
my voice, carry across the sea
As tall as mountain
leads to a better grade
imprint thou footpath, to eliminate AIDS
in the night under true eyes.

My son…

The wind blows every direction and time
The butterfly glares hope and love
that’s from caterpillar
    Better to fly ..against AIDS
    It’s true … when the time comes.

It’s true … the birds are singing

No roots yet the flowers of identity
No temples yet the fruits of intelligence
The challenge not have the marriage of true minds?
are ever fixed mark that
killed and buried more of our brothers
and sisters, By AIDS.

My son …

I prefer the lion which leads thirty sheep
than the sheep which leads thirty lions
in our village,
our chief must have courage, to stop AIDS,

My son …

We have a short time to stay
as short as spring
as quick a growth to meet decay
our hours do only dry away
Like to the summer rain, the pearls of morning dew,
ne’er to be found again.

My son…Yes … It is true

The birds are singing … How to eliminate AIDS
        Holly haloes ring around
        Terminology needs the technical mind
        The soul of grassroots is not found
        spirit waves on sprint sound,

It is true … Yes

a universal darkness buries all and grieved
that we met in secret, with silence and tears,
reality has surpassed …
    We are not just dying of disease but dying of ignorance.

Ehh … hh.. h My son

Before time expires to jerk the reins of AIDS
at this time with the right policy,
to create awareness from the right constituency,
based on education and information technology
of our folk channel and mental capacity.

My son .. Look

It will be more and more dark and dusk
Labour under the black sky, at the womb of New World
the sound will be born with perfect rhythm
melody of birds, composing with Africa drum,

It’s true … yes .. the birds are singing
to tell the whole of Africa
to eliminate AIDS in the new millennium
My son, follow the sound of our drum:-

Like tone of my Dream
not last to feel fill with peace
and freedom …
The glory even shaded in time.
My Africa follow the sound of my blomery Drum