“Grito negro” by José Craveirinha

Under a number of pseudonyms (Mário Vieira, José Cravo, Jesuino Cravo, etc.), José Craveirinha (May 28, 1922 - February 6, 2003) wrote poems addressing racism and colonialism. He was one of the leading voices of African Négritude and is considered Mozambique’s greatest poet.

Black scream
I am coal!
And you brutally rip me from the ground
And make me your mine
Boss!

I am coal!
And you burn me, boss,
To serve you eternally as your driving force
but not eternally
Boss!

I am coal!
And indeed I have to burn
And burn everything down with the force of my combustion.

I am coal!
I have to burn when used
Burn to the ashes of damnation
Burn alive like tar, my Brother
Until I am no longer your mine
Boss!

I am coal!
I have to burn
And burn everything down with the fire of my combustion.

Yes!
I will be your coal
Boss!

Translation note: I have used the word “burn” for three different source word: “acender” in line 5 (which is “burn” as in “lighting a fire”), “arder” in lines 9, 12, 13, and 14 (which almost has an the internal perspective of active burning, being on fire; it’s also the word that would be most used to describe burning passions or feelings), and “queimar” in line 10 (which has more of an external perspective focusing on the setting of the fire). This fortuitous confluence of meanings is reversed with the word “exploração” in line 12, which I have translated as “use” but which, contributing so much to the richness of this poem, also means both “exploration” and “exploitation” in addition to “operation.”