A river flows
with purpose.
When it hits a
mound
of dirt
that
diverts its path,
it does not seek
to relive history
by recreating its
old course. With
great purpose a
river flows; see,
it knows to only
move forward; new
path, same purpose,
single-minded, always
towards its destiny. A river
only knows to flow – we do
not have to say, “flow river,
flow,” it knows it must flow.
Africans know to be African.
A river flows .. with purpose.

* AE Ballakisten is a South African poet and social philosopher. He has published 2 books of poetry and in numerous literary journals. He holds degrees from Harvard, MIT, London and Wits.