By Baba G. Jallow
1884
They met at Berlin
And set you on the table
A free piece of delicious cake
To be sliced and cut to feed
Bloated egos and greedy eyes
With selective sight that only saw the glitter
Were totally blind
To that which really matters to you
1960
They took over
From those who met at Berlin
And set you on the table
A free piece of delicious cake
To be sliced and cut to feed
Bristle egos and greedy eyes
With sight that only saw the glitter
Were totally blind
To that which really matters to you
1994
They took over
From those who took over
From those who met at Berlin
And set you on the table
A free piece of delicious cake
To be sliced and cut to feed
Even more bristle egos and greedy eyes
With sight that only saw the glitter
Were totally blind
To that which really matters to you
2015
They took over
From those who took over
From those who met at Berlin
And set you –
Not on the table
But on the stage of a world
Surprised and enraptured
At the beauty
Of that which really matters to you
Your ebony children!
Standing tall, humble, knowing
The past waits eagerly in the future.