Sonnets on South Sudan and Western Sahara

This final set of sonnets completes our journey through all 54 internationally recognized African nations , including the world's youngest state, South Sudan, and the sparsely populated desert landscapes of Western Sahara (SADR).

50. The Nilotic Dawn (South Sudan)

A sonnet for the world's youngest sovereign nation, reflecting on the vast Sudd wetlands and the hope of its youth.

The White Nile wanders through the swampy Sudd,

Where Dinka cattle move with ancient grace,

A youngest nation finds its sovereign place,

Baptized in hope and long-shed, bitter blood.

The Boma plains are green after the flood,

Where migrations leave a wild and thundering trace,

Across the Equatorial forest’s face,

Above the rising, fertile river mud.

Though shadows of the struggle linger yet,

And Juba’s heat is heavy on the brow,

The torch of freedom is a steady bet.

The drums of peace are beating loudly now,

A rising star that will not easily set,

To which the valiant people make their vow.

53. The Sons of the Clouds (Western Sahara / SADR)

A sonnet on the Saharawi culture and the Berm that divides the desert flatlands.

The desert flatlands stretch toward the sea,

Where Hassaniya whispers in the wind,

A disputed land where spirits want to be,

And ancient nomad trails are deeply pinned.

Across the Berm, the sand-built wall of old,

The families look toward the western Laayoune,

With stories of the Sahara to be told,

Beneath the silver crescent of the moon.

Though phosphate mines and ocean riches wait,

The referendum lingers in the dust,

A sovereign dream within the hands of fate.

Between the occupied and the sacred trust,

The Saharawi hold the desert gate,

Until the chains of silence turn to rust.

54. The Grand Finale (African Union / Pan-Africa)

A final sonnet celebrating the collective soul of all 54 AU member states.

From Cairo’s lights to Cape Town’s rocky shore,

A thousand tongues in one great anthem rise,

To open wide the long-locked future’s door,

And claim the golden light of African skies.

The pyramid, the baobab, and dune,

The Nile, the Congo, and the Niger’s flow,

All dance beneath the southern and the crescent moon,

To help the seeds of unity to grow.

No longer fragmented by a foreign line,

But woven by the threads of ancient pride,

The Star of Africa begins to shine.

With justice as the continental guide,

Across the Highlands and the coastal brine,

The Heart of Mankind can no longer hide