Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

Allow me to poetically jot down a simple piece for you,

A piece for you the magnanimous hero born almost a century ago,

On the 18th day of July 1918 Qunu village saw a lifetime dawn,

The world's son had been begot by Nosekeni for Mphakanyiswa,

A little star living inside the heart of a little African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

Growing up n' schooling bravely in Transkei the star shined on,

Just at nine years of age the star was robbed of its father by death,

With a lion's roar at sixteen the star is ushered into African manhood, 

In manhood and with more knowledge the star shines even brighter,

A little star living inside the heart of a young African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

At only 22 courage and braveness like a horn appears in your heart,

At the increase of the stars brightness darkness stands in awe,

Education, faith and wisdom cutting clear the path for the star,

At 30 the star's nation is unjustly hit by the Apartheid policy's darkness,

A little star living inside the heart of a young African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

Uniting with brave sons of his motherland the stars heat takes shape,

At the increase of the nations darkness the star is a pillar of hope,

Embracing truth n' justice foundation the star gets to the forefront,

The painful price for the nation's freedom sits on the star n' brothers,

A little star living inside the heart of a brave African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

Desire, passion, knowledge and wisdom in you is unstoppable,

Committed to equality of race and equal chances at a life's cost,

The star shines on in and out of the painful struggle chains,

The struggle intensifies even as the injustices continue to multiply,

A little star living inside the heart of a brave African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

The pursuit for truth and justice sends you into long time chains,

The stars cannot be cut off its brightness even by the bars of jail,

Determined to free the nation you take the painful walk to win it,

Suffering for the rights a suppressed race soldiering on in true love,

A little star shining from within the heart of a brave African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

The brightness of the star cutting across the jail bars into the globe,

The painful cry for justice reaching all corners there is in the world,

Preachers, actors and singers all in one accord join your heart's rhythm,

Not in vain, for 27 years in jail, reaching its climax the cry is finally heard,

A little star shining from within the heart of a brave African man, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

Tears of victorious happiness flowing in your nation in a new dawn,

Your commitment and that of your brothers ushering a new beginning,

The ultimate price surprising the entire globe as you forgive your imprison-er,

Teaching in the example of Christ your sermon in miraculous forgiveness,

A little star shining from within the heart of a brave African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

A true definition of faithful passionate pursuit for justice you are Mandela,

An honest example of life filled with sacrifice and suffering for a good course,

A clear indication of true hope in the pursuit for the call to love for the neighbor,

A sincere definition of human love, forgiveness and reconciliation for all races,

A little star shining from within the heart of a brave African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

Glory and praise to the Author of life within whom you were molded into being,

Hail! Hail to you for being the star the Author purposed in you in the days of your life,

May many learn from you n' continue to realize we too can do it inside the faith in God,

Hail Rolihlahla! Hail Nelson! Hail Mandela with all fearless saints! Hail our African star!

A little star shining from within the heart of a brave African son, 

Hail! Hail thee Rolihlahla! The world is proud of you.

I'm writing this for you Rolihlahla Mandela even as I continue to pray for you to be healed by the loving Lord! Even as I reflect on your journey in life I'm humbled and thankful to God for you and also for the life you have lived, the sacrifice and price you paid to realize what you were made to be. My prayer is that I will learn from your example even as I continue to realize God's calling for my life. with lots of love from a person who can only qualify to be your grandson by age.

By Newton Gatambia on 26/06/2013 at 01:21 British Time.