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  • Bushwoman stands here . . .
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Bushwoman stands here . . .

Anonymous

Bushwoman stands here
Night hangs over her
Stars stab it

Hunter-stars
that rip night
take his heart

Bushwoman sings here
Night hangs over her
The land lies still

Hunter-stars
that stab night
give him yours

Bushwoman holds up her child
Night hangs over her
Ripped with stars

Hunter-stars
sky-hunters
give him your star-heart


Anonymous

from The Song Atlas: A Book of World Poetry, edited by John Gallas (Manchester: Carcanet, 2002).

Reproduced by kind permission of the publisher.

Tags:

African poetry Botswana jungle night stars women

About this poem

This poem, representing Botswana, is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.

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