![BLACK ORCHIDS
By Norris R McDonald
https://afrocaribbeanriddims.substack.com/p/black-orchids
They stood on the edge of oblivion
Oblivious to the gunshots, terrible terror
To strike fear in the once mighty bastion
The living prison, that was apartheid horror!
'Twas an indomitable phalanx of sturdy men!
And even barefoot women an' children!
With heads held high, some valiantly died!
To defeat and abolish brutal apartheid!
Unsung heroes, there were many
Destroying a cruel system of infamy!
Blood flowed -- Student bodies piled high
Up to Almighty Gawd, their souls did fly!
Facing gunshots with chest open wide!
BLACK ORCHIDS sprang up where they died!
When freedom came ‘twas a glorious day!
Freedom! Freedom! We hail it today!
Though we may not know, all the name
Sharpeville’s' massacred labor’d not in vain
Now their valiant souls are enshrined, bold
In Sun hued letters of Black, green an' gold!
In reverence, mouth-to-mouth, we tell the story
Of a new day written in BLACKSTORY
Of the BLACK ORCHIDS and blood nourished earth
That was mid-wife to South Africa rebirth!
Today the struggle must, my friends be continued
For South's Africa’ Black Orchids to bloom anew
Black Orchids are rare --- they must be treasured!
This truth, Our Almighty Gardener, already knew!
[Copyright (2025) - Norris R McDonald]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kbvzwfixmrpia6zb2g5y2trx/bafkreihhamcyrdxsznnkvs7z4fohmwno5fka6wgag73b73a23j3bkz43wm)
BLACK ORCHIDS
By Norris R McDonald
https://afrocaribbeanriddims.substack.com/p/black-orchids
They stood on the edge of oblivion
Oblivious to the gunshots, terrible terror
To strike fear in the once mighty bastion
The living prison, that was apartheid horror!
'Twas an indomitable phalanx of sturdy men!
And even barefoot women an' children!
With heads held high, some valiantly died!
To defeat and abolish brutal apartheid!
Unsung heroes, there were many
Destroying a cruel system of infamy!
Blood flowed -- Student bodies piled high
Up to Almighty Gawd, their souls did fly!
Facing gunshots with chest open wide!
BLACK ORCHIDS sprang up where they died!
When freedom came ‘twas a glorious day!
Freedom! Freedom! We hail it today!
Though we may not know, all the name
Sharpeville’s' massacred labor’d not in vain
Now their valiant souls are enshrined, bold
In Sun hued letters of Black, green an' gold!
In reverence, mouth-to-mouth, we tell the story
Of a new day written in BLACKSTORY
Of the BLACK ORCHIDS and blood nourished earth
That was mid-wife to South Africa rebirth!
Today the struggle must, my friends be continued
For South's Africa’ Black Orchids to bloom anew
Black Orchids are rare --- they must be treasured!
This truth, Our Almighty Gardener, already knew!
[Copyright (2025) - Norris R McDonald]
![BLACK ORCHIDS
By Norris R McDonald
https://afrocaribbeanriddims.substack.com/p/black-orchids
They stood on the edge of oblivion
Oblivious to the gunshots, terrible terror
To strike fear in the once mighty bastion
The living prison, that was apartheid horror!
'Twas an indomitable phalanx of sturdy men!
And even barefoot women an' children!
With heads held high, some valiantly died!
To defeat and abolish brutal apartheid!
Unsung heroes, there were many
Destroying a cruel system of infamy!
Blood flowed -- Student bodies piled high
Up to Almighty Gawd, their souls did fly!
Facing gunshots with chest open wide!
BLACK ORCHIDS sprang up where they died!
When freedom came ‘twas a glorious day!
Freedom! Freedom! We hail it today!
Though we may not know, all the name
Sharpeville’s' massacred labor’d not in vain
Now their valiant souls are enshrined, bold
In Sun hued letters of Black, green an' gold!
In reverence, mouth-to-mouth, we tell the story
Of a new day written in BLACKSTORY
Of the BLACK ORCHIDS and blood nourished earth
That was mid-wife to South Africa rebirth!
Today the struggle must, my friends be continued
For South's Africa’ Black Orchids to bloom anew
Black Orchids are rare --- they must be treasured!
This truth, Our Almighty Gardener, already knew!
[Copyright (2025) - Norris R McDonald]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kbvzwfixmrpia6zb2g5y2trx/bafkreihridputcmf2d33q3ydcpzhlhvysvtirygtrzioqx72krjjmxplbq)
BLACK ORCHIDS
By Norris R McDonald
https://afrocaribbeanriddims.substack.com/p/black-orchids
They stood on the edge of oblivion
Oblivious to the gunshots, terrible terror
To strike fear in the once mighty bastion
The living prison, that was apartheid horror!
'Twas an indomitable phalanx of sturdy men!
And even barefoot women an' children!
With heads held high, some valiantly died!
To defeat and abolish brutal apartheid!
Unsung heroes, there were many
Destroying a cruel system of infamy!
Blood flowed -- Student bodies piled high
Up to Almighty Gawd, their souls did fly!
Facing gunshots with chest open wide!
BLACK ORCHIDS sprang up where they died!
When freedom came ‘twas a glorious day!
Freedom! Freedom! We hail it today!
Though we may not know, all the name
Sharpeville’s' massacred labor’d not in vain
Now their valiant souls are enshrined, bold
In Sun hued letters of Black, green an' gold!
In reverence, mouth-to-mouth, we tell the story
Of a new day written in BLACKSTORY
Of the BLACK ORCHIDS and blood nourished earth
That was mid-wife to South Africa rebirth!
Today the struggle must, my friends be continued
For South's Africa’ Black Orchids to bloom anew
Black Orchids are rare --- they must be treasured!
This truth, Our Almighty Gardener, already knew!
[Copyright (2025) - Norris R McDonald]
BLACK ORCHIDS, Poem by Norris R McDonald
afrocaribbeanriddims.substack.com/p/black-orch...
#BlackOrchids #PoetryForJustice #ApartheidHistory #SouthAfricaFreedom #NeverForget #FreedomFighters #BlackHistoryMatters #RevolutionaryPoetry #SpiritsRise #HeroesNeverDie #NoToSegregation #EndRacism
![#BlackOrchids #PoetryForJustice #ApartheidHistory #SouthAfricaFreedom #NeverForget
#FreedomFighters #BlackHistoryMatters #RevolutionaryPoetry
BLACK ORCHIDS
By Norris R McDonald
They stood on the edge of oblivion
Oblivious to the gunshots, terrible terror
To strike fear in the once mighty bastion
The living prison, that was apartheid horror!
'Twas an indomitable phalanx of sturdy men!
And even barefoot women an' children!
With heads held high, some valiantly died!
To defeat and abolish brutal apartheid!
Unsung heroes, there were many
Destroying a cruel system of infamy!
Blood flowed -- Student bodies piled high
Up to Almighty Gawd, their souls did fly!
Facing gunshots with chest open wide!
BLACK ORCHIDS sprang up where they died!
When freedom came ‘twas a glorious day!
Freedom! Freedom! We hail it today!
Though we may not know, all the name
Sharpeville’s' massacred labor’d not in vain
Now their valiant souls are enshrined, bold
In Sun hued letters of Black, green an' gold!
In reverence, mouth-to-mouth, we tell the story
Of a new day written in BLACKSTORY
Of the BLACK ORCHIDS and blood nourished earth
That was mid-wife to South Africa rebirth!
Today the struggle must, my friends be continued
For South's Black Orchids, to grow, to bloom anew
Black Orchids are rare --- they must be treasured!
This truth, Our Almighty Gardener, already knew!
[Copyright (2025) - Norris R McDonald ]
#SpiritsRise #HeroesNeverDie #BloodNourishedEarth #ResistanceAndResilience #SocialJusticeEducation #PoliticsAndLaw #NoToSegregation #EndRacism](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kbvzwfixmrpia6zb2g5y2trx/bafkreibgqdkjkqtm6obeqzx5wfyrvsi26ytw7y2vjozzio2s33ldcqvaiu)