Classic Black African Poems

Translated by Willard Trask

1971

Classic lyric poems from all over Africa, the worthy counterpart of African sculpture and the spirituals.

CHANT
In the time when Dendid created all things,
He created the sun,
And the sun is born, and dies, and comes again;
He created the moon,
And the moon is born, and dies, and comes again;
He created the stars,
And the stars are born, and die, and come again;
He created man,
And the man is born, and dies, and never comes again.
–Dinka Nilotic Sudan

ISBN 0-87130-024-9