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Forgive me South Afrikan History Books


They call her mother, nurturer, hope and strength 
Only when it suited them and gave her light next to a man 
She fought for their voices, but only those who received those voices got praise
lines of words written about her 
the history of this nation, reflecting only one face 
the face of a man 
women put as foot notes and references to a history the should be featured on 
her pain and her efforts put aside so those who were seen as the faces of the struggle may shine 
no one spoke of the revolution that was driven by the women of 1912 
no one speaks of the international relations that she Helen Joseph was part of
forgive me South Afrikan History books if a am being disrespectful 
But i don't see a reflection of myself on your pages 
I don't see the women whom are meant to be on your covers 
Maybe South Afrikan history writers need to ask for forgiveness 
to the women whom they stripped and denied their glory 
South Afrikan history seems to be wearing a face that i can not relate to
as a young South Afrikan woman, a face of a man 
forgive me South Afrikan history books 
but i can not fully embrace you or celebrate you 
as some of your faces are missing  



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