The Crying Queen of Africa Biography of Leticia Nyerere, MP INTRODUCTION The crying queen of Africa! How long had it been thus? You, that were queen of Africa, With face down into dust! To come from rags, to excellence, And then brought down again: Your kindness and intelligence Shackled with loss and pain! Passed between many powers And torn by them to shreds - They all sought to devour you, And then they sought you dead - How could you be so exquisite, So gentle and so kind, When you are nearly destitute And pained in heart and mind? Surrounded by sorrow, You kept the light alive - And on each passing morrow You rose, and toiled, and strived! And yet remained benificent, And generous, and warm, And looked simply magnificent Through sunlight and through storm! And now you’re in the Parliament, You’ve triumphed over all – In Tanzanian government Instilling mind and soul! Triumphant queen of Africa! Inspiring to the world! You are again in Africa - Now let your voice be heard. CHILDHOOD In Africa, in Africa, On Tanzanian soil, Was born the queen of Africa In heat and rain and toil. The parents taught her from the start To be ready for life Be self-sufficient, strong and smart And when the time arrived From Africa, from Africa On double-engine plane She went - a girl from Africa - To a great northern land. She felt lost, but the Russians Were friendly to her, and They asked a lot of questions Till she could understand That they wanted to know Her and her world, as such: And they were giving, though They said word "nyet" too much. She met folks from all over The third and second worlds, From everywhere and nowhere Men, women, boys and girls, She studied many languages And sciences and arts Her natural intelligence Combined with people smarts Made her a youthful favorite Within the second world And she became warm, elegant And happy as a bird. Russia's supposed poverty Was for her giant wealth: She had possessed no property But all her needs were met She studied subjects rigorously All things to understand And lived life fully, vigorously, And gathered many friends. She gained not only knowledge But strength and wisdom too And after going to college She became dream come true. SINGLE LIFE IN TANZANIA To Africa, to Africa From Russia she arrived. She went back home to Africa And started her new life. In Dar-Es-Salaam she began A secretarial business And grew in name and capital - And still, and nonetheless, Remained kind, warm and elegant And pleasant to behold - And how is this relevant? Learn once the story's told. The son of a great president Nyerere, no one less, Became her client and he spent Much money in the press. And then he asked to marry her And she said to him, yes. They married in great ceremony And all thought they were blessed. MARRIED LIFE IN TANZANIA In Africa, in Africa Nyerere's son and her Became the talk of Africa And traveled all the world. Nyerere loved Leticia He knew that she was smart He saw her mind, ambition, and A girl of his own heart: And when she had her infant, Julius she named him. Two more came out, few years apart - She still was fit and trim. She started woman's magazine That still sells far and wide - She sought to serve and yet to win: All that was on her mind - Beloved in-law she remained, Africa's jet set queen, Flying to China, Russia, Spain And places unforeseen. And yet the queen was crying Both outside and within: The people were not satisfied No matter what she did, However much she tried to please It never was enough. Oh how could this have come to be? Why did this happen? How? She looked outside, folks walking by, And saw love in their eyes - Where was the love in her own life? Why all this darkness? Why? She tried all things, mistakenly, And nothing ever worked; Whatever she gave, was taken, and Expected of her more Her mind was cluttered with debris And arguments and pain; She never had a day of peace And so was going insane; She gave and gave, and strove, and yet Nobody gave respect; Despair, guilt, fear and regret Were screaming in her head; Nothing would work; nothing was right; In pain the queen would cry Whatever she did, still worse it got - She did not know why. For thirteen years this went forth - No matter how she tried, The agony kept getting worse And sorrow multiplied: “Is this my life?” thought crying queen “This, what life has in store?” She who began a magazine And business, and still more? She wanted peace of heart and thought To focus on her kids; She sought to be what she was taught And to do real deeds; “Is this my life – entirely – Is this the end for me?” Fly, crying queen, across the sea And then you can be free! After much agony and fear At last she did decide To get her kids and disappear In middle of the night Three months before the President died, Leticia challenged Fates And took a plane, kids at her side, To the United States. LIFE IN UNITED STATES From Africa, from Africa Arrives the fallen queen Carrying warmth of Africa Still looking like a dream But now she must herself survive And for her kids provide. She must learn how to stay alive And keep them at her side. She works as an accountant; There’s insufficient pay. She works then for the government To serve and to protect. The children mix with druggies, She changes neighborhoods She toils, and cleans, and struggles Like no one knew she could. She wakes, four in the morning, Comes home late at night And then she works from home Struggling just to survive It’s do all this each coming day Simply to make ends meet, Or lose everything that she has And wind up on the streets. Nobody thinks she is a queen But she knows: She must strive To do all for herself and kids And struggle to survive. She starts organization To help Tanzanian kids. She works on reputation Mid races, peoples, creeds, The wolf's maw of survival Is breathing down her neck - Thus greet the new arrival Who's fallen off the track. Thus treat the fallen beauty? How far? How long? How true? Who was the undisputed Princess, and brilliant too? Survival, unforgiving, Is screaming in her face: Now go and make a living Or be destroyed, erased - She answers, I am working, Now leave my kids alone! All come, at her heart jerking, Desiring her undone, Her mother dies, and when she leaves For Africa, the friends And family meet her and kids And help her understand How much she’s loved - the President’s wife Supports her through her grief, And as though it was her own life Provides her with relief. She gets herself a mansion For her three kids and her. She gathers the attention Of people from all over In Africa she gains respect; They see she is strong-willed And while it is a little late It is accepted still, And she accepts and she’d forgive And says that they are great - And for the people such as these No, it is not too late! She says she’s struggled all her life Whatever she achieved And every day was more of strife For as long as she’s lived, And that when people see one’s strength And one’s consistency One can indeed gather respect From sea to shining sea. Leticia stays majestic And giving, strong and smart: Hard-working and domestic And with a giving heart She tends to kids, to work, and To Tanzanian youth: An Africa's black orchid In which resides God's truth. Momentous consummation! Her elegance and will Make for a combination Like rose or daffodil, A woman who combines the best Of the worlds old and new: Gentle, polite, gorgeously dressed And free and thoughtful too! A woman who is feminine And in her spirit kind, Cultured, strong and intelligent And sweet in heart and mind, Now deep, for all the pain she's seen, But choosing to make light - Still looking - being - like a dream Like no one knew she might - Great hostess, parent, saleswoman - Really, she has it all! And in the darkness, like the sun, She shines to light the world, With pain that she has suffered Growing in empathy, With truths she has uncovered Shimmering like a sea, Hoping to turn her energy To help the ones in pain, And use strength and intelligence To shine like light of day, With all the things she knows And all at that she’s become To make all good things grow And make them bloom as one. ELECTION TO PARLIAMENT To Africa, to Africa Leticia returns Straight out of America And uses what she's learned To make a run for Parliament - A woman candidate - There, to improve the government And humanize the state. Many attack Leticia And speak barbaric lies; Journalists, politicians Attack and criticize Choices made of necessity And choices made of truth But even these adversities Don't steer her from her path. With help of Freeman Mbowe, Along with Dr. Slaa, As well as Zitto Kabwe And much of CHADEMA, Her brothers and her sisters, Children, mother in law, Good friends in Tanzania And in America, Leticia triumphs over The ugliness and lies And all that is thrown at her She fully overcomes And in Tanzania's parliament Arrives Leticia, now A member of the government With faith in her bestowed, To keep Nyerere's legacy, To fight for women's rights, To fund the universities, Help Tanzanians rise To knowledge, ability, Excellence in all fields - And with new viability A better country build. She fights for rights of children, For growth of every kind, For building on the givens, For changing people's minds, For raising Tanzania To levels it deserves; For better life for women; And for correcting course Of the entire Africa Until it too can thrive: That residents of Africa Can have a better life; And uses what she's learned in all Her travels all around To implement a better goal: To make a change profound, A change that leads to clarity, Prosperity and peace: To change people's mentality Till even a child sees That they can make a betterment, That they can grow and thrive, That they can have good government And have meaningful lives, That they can do each other good And to fulfil their dreams And lift African continent To real lasting peace, To growing prosperity, Achievement in all fields, To government transparency, To covenant that builds A better life for Africans - Men, women, children, each - And make the lives they're dreaming of Within the people's reach. TO AFRICAN WOMEN Beautiful women of Africa! Leticia says again: Do not just seek for equal rights - Do everything you can! Make most of your abilities, Take charge of your own lives, Apply responsibility And be again advised: The world is hard, competitive; These things you must expect And all who are humanity This knowledge must accept - Do your own best, as much as you Can muster; and remain The person that you always knew You were in your heart; and Help out each other as you strive For better, fuller life So that more women can arrive To freedom, and survive As best of what they are; as what They can and should become - And all that comes as obstacle They know to overcome: You, fine women of Africa! Your fortune's in your hands! Use it to better Africa - And fully understand: It will take much, but the reward Is worth the effort made: When you, just like Letitia did, Take future in your hands. CONCLUSION In Africa, in Africa The Tanzanian queen Does cry no more: Look, Africa At wonder that you've seen! Look up, and see what's possible Example she has shown: To work through hatred, pain and loss And all the more to know And then to strive, informedly, To live, and do good deeds, And though you suffer horribly To be still warm, and sweet, And giving, and magnificent, And smart, and all you are - And erudite, benificent - Like wave - no, like a star: Illumining the universe And shining, through the haze, With all that's true and, luminous, Will conquer and amaze: Will show what is humanity When it is at its best: To call the Holy Trinity And ask Them this request: Postpone a while the world's end - Really, we can do well: To know the truth of heaven After it's gone through hell Is to know all the darkness And using mind and will Create the gorgeous flowers - Orchids and daffodils - And be them, with the sunlight And liquid light of stars From morning until twilight Tau Ceti, Sun and Mars - To grow, to love, to nurture And bring the bound-down seed - The beauty torn and tortured And bound down by deceit - Into complete unfoldment Where all can know and see And inspiration for all time Of what mankind can be And this to give the coming ones: With this world to inspire: To have come through the darkness And shine with holy fire: And with this fire to make a torch That beams within the sky: Illumining each holy church And every human's eye: And make them see what's possible And what can become true And what is now plausible Because of those like you. O crying queen of Africa! Do not cry any more! You are again in Africa - Now let you be adored!