“É preciso plantar” by Marcelino dos Santos

Marcelino dos Santos (May 20, 1929 - February 11, 2020), who used the pseudonyms Kalungano and Lilinho Micaia, was a founding member of FRELIMO (Mozambican Liberation Front). He served in the government in various capacities and was declared a national hero in 2015. “É preciso plantar” is from the 1977 collection “Poesia de combate” (“Combat poetry”).

“We must plant”
We must plant
mama
we must plant

we must plant
in the stars
and on the sea

in your naked feet
and on the paths

we must plant

in the forbidden hopes
and on our open hands

in the present night
and in the future creating
everywhere
mama

we must plant

the reason
for the destroyed bodies
and for the bloody land
for the agonized voice
and for the chorus of arms that we raise

everywhere
everywhere
everywhere mama

everywhere
we must plant
the certainty

of a happy tomorrow
in the caresses of your heart
where each child’s eyes
renew hope

yes mama
we must
we must plant

on the paths of freedom
the new tree
of National Independence.