african history • Skendong Poetry

A person with a charcoal-blackened face, red hat and robe, holds watercress and a goldfish against a red background indicating Nowruz

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

11 August 2026

Khwajah Piruz & The Mystical Herald of Nowruz

Khwajah Piruz A poetic reflection on Khwajah Piruz, Nowruz and the contested…

A triple-braided root splitting toward a stormy slave ship and sunny Ethiopian obelisks, topped by a flaming river.

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

26 March 2026

The Hidden Root: Wax and Gold

Wax and Gold A reflective meditation on African identity, ancestry, racism and…

Never IC3. Tropical Manchester scene: A shaven-headed man offers a red-wrapped chocolate bar to a stern policeman, as a woman leans in to kiss his cheek.

Identity, Self & Fragmentation Poetry

20 November 2025

Identity: Never IC3 but a Grateful & Amazing Brunette Brown

never ic3 A personal meditation on Black identity, skin colour and the…

A Black man in a Jamaican shirt and St. George's bandana writes in a notepad, flanked by a watchful lion and the British Crown Jewels with a single eye. Urban Manchester and the Nairobi savanna merge in the background.

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

16 September 2025

Simple Sheng: Slang, Diaspora and Ever New Deviations

Simple Sheng A playful poem exploring Sheng, diaspora and the evolving language…

brief A surreal portrait of an African face with a missing nose, wearing a beaded Ade crown, against a white background.

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

30 August 2025

Unlock Olorun: The African God in the Universal Light

Unlock Olorun A poetic reflection on the place of Ọlọrun within humanity’s…

Cobalt miners toil under King Leopold's ghostly gaze.

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

10 June 2025

Remember King Leopold? This is Congo Kinshasa

Congo Kinshasa A short poem reflecting on Congo’s colonial history, modern cobalt…

A Hockney-style painting features a grotesque devil on a skeletal horse riding through a desolate, sun-drenched landscape, marked by charred ruins and skeletal remains. Vibrant colors highlight themes of shame, violence, and plundering.

Poetry Society, Power & Modern Life

5 June 2025

Sudan’s Blood Gold: The Devil on Horseback

The Devil on Horseback This powerful political poem confronts the devastating war…

Image generated for Skendong Poetry of a tourist and his guide walking through a mocked up market near Touba Great Mosque, Senegal.

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

5 November 2024

Baye Fall: At the Tomb of Ibrahima Fall

Baye Fall A poetic journey through Senegalese Islamic culture, Baye Fall spirituality…

Newsclip of Claudette Colvin

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry

13 September 2024

Claudette Colvin: The First to Refuse

Claudette Colvin goes to School This historical narrative poem tells the story…

Child Labour in The Congo

Poetry Society, Power & Modern Life

21 June 2024

Diamonds in the Rough: Contrasting Love and Resentment

Diamonds in the Rough “Diamonds in the Rough” is a poetic lament…

black male in white t-shirt, handcuffed and covering his face

Identity, Self & Fragmentation Poetry

2 November 2023

Homecoming, Identity and Belonging When all Seems Lost

Homecoming Returning to the land - They once kidnapped me. My language…

Soldiers in desert camouflage with armored vehicles and sniper under blue sky.

Myth, History & Cultural Memory Poetry Short Story

4 October 2023

Africanistan Epic: The Ultimate War on Terror

Africanistan Epic This epic poem traces Africa's turbulent journey from colonial partition…