One Tree

One tree

so many leaves

One river, so many creeks

all going to one sea

One head, so many thought

thoughts among which one

good one must be one good

so many ways of worshipping

but one father

One Africa(n)

So many hair types

So many skin colours and

So many tongues

But one people

One tree, but so many people

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Mathshepo Makaudi

Northwest Province, South Africa, 2001