Oh, arise, arise!
Today is a brand new day,
A new heartfelt lesson, a new striking chance
To begin again.
Do not abruptly lose hope in yourself,
On your dreams,
On your education.
What was not achieved yesterday
Can still be learned today
If ambition remains wide awake
Profuse weeping may endure through the eerie night,
But understanding comes with the morning sunshine.
I arise just as a germinating seedling,
Not because the ground was soft,
But because it taught me
How to stand and learn.
I arise from unanswered questions,
From lessons not understood the first time,
From doors that stayed closed
Yet whispered wait
From silence heavy with uncertainty,
From hope folded gently into patience.
I arise with faith still forming,
Hands that have learned
To ask without fear,
To wait without shrinking,
To believe without applause.
They said, give it time.
So I planted myself in content persistence
And watered my days with rooted courage
And frequent curiosity
I arise from almosts and not yets
From nights where constant doubt sat
beside me
While learning progressively continued
And dreams refused to sleep.
And still, I did not surrender.
I am learning that growth is not loud;
It is steady.
It is choosing progress over perfection,
Discipline over delay,
Purpose over comparison.
I arise as the child who almost stopped asking,
For the student who still dares to dream,
For the young African discovering
That education is not a race,
But a becoming.
And when the results come
Yes or no, pass or fail
They will find me standing tall as a giraffe,
Wiser, hopeful, whole,
Already risen.
Poem Description
This poem reflects the quiet journey of learning, persistence, and personal growth experienced by many students across Africa. Already Risen explores education not as an instant achievement, but as a process of becoming which is shaped by patience, unanswered questions, setbacks, and hope. It speaks to learners who may feel delayed, uncertain, or discouraged, reminding them that progress is still possible and growth is often steady rather than loud. Through this poem, the author aims to encourage young people to remain committed to their education, to believe in their potential, and to understand that learning continues even when results are not immediate.
