Poem: A Long and Mighty Walk

A Long and Mighty Walk

From the birthplace of humanity
A time when men were free
With nature growing and creatures roaming
A mighty walk I see
The first made by a woman,
First Mother of the Mother Land,
80,000 to 200,000 years ago
In Africa’s Sub-Saharan
I can hear the washing of the shores
And the Kings still roaring
Animals with fancy names
Help me to tell this story

Primitive, yet civil, was the first society
Following Mother’s lead
Mother-Right, this age, did see
From the Great Lakes region
Around 200,000 years ago
Our ancestors, known as the Twa,
Paved the way for others to grow
Up and down the Nile ruled black masters of lands
Creating, trading, and delegating working hands

Ageless is this epic of human migration
Women and men of might and will populated new nations
The journey from Africa to Eurasia
Pre-dates recorded time
As they ventured, every mountain was new
And each forest was a find
I see a rush of Ethiopians darting in my mind
From the Sudan, Egypt, Arabia
Asia, India, and Palestine
Successfully, they sailed the Nile River to Crete
Sustaining old and creating new
Cultures as they deemed be

The Nile Valley was, indeed, the Cradle of Civilization
The ancient Egyptians of Ethiopia thrived
And built a mighty nation
Around 6,000 years ago, the Egyptians ruled
Studied astronomy, music, medicine,
And chemistry in Mystery Schools
In addition to rhetoric, calculus, art, and geometry
All of the world’s religions
Were borne in this spiritual community
From about 6,000 BC until 300 BC,
The Egyptians saw 27 dynasties
Later, overrun by the Persians
This great people were rarely free
The most inquisitive of all creatures

Are we, mortal beings
Ever-seeking the origin of life
And the creator of all things
Over 40,000 years ago, the case was the same
Our forefathers embraced beliefs
Though they were later destroyed or changed
Pyramids reached for the sky
Way before Pythagoras was born
Warriors exercised powers, but
From their prowess, most were torn
Now in this day of special wants and needs
We must stay on our feet until we are free

From the birthplace of humanity
To a time when all are free
With nature growing and creatures roaming
This is the walk I see

by John D. Evans

Inspired by the teachings of Dr. John Henrik Clarke
Courtesy: The John Henrik Clarke Virtual Museum of the DuBois
Learning Center (November, 2005)


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