Hamadoun (Simbè) Sankaré wrote this poem and read it at a July 6 reception organized by the Peace Corps to honor the participants in the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Peace Corps program. Simbè Sankaré is manager of Farafina Tigne, a bead museum located in Sévaré, Mali. He gave us permission to share this through the Web site.

The Peace Corps
I am need too much
To express all what
They do all over the world?

The way they are doing
Don’t need any comment
Seeing equals saying!

The best way to help is
Sharing the knowledge,
That’s what they do through the world

From China to Zambia
Russia to New Zealand
Peru to Mali

Jamaica to Morocco
Kenya to Tonga
Ghana to Colombia

Boys and girls with all their hearts
Day and night
Up and down

Riding bikes inside the countries
Helping, sharing
All what they have

“Peace” and “Corps” are short words, but
They are very heavy by the meaning,
What means life without peace and love?

I am in lack of words to say
Thank you for all what
You are doing in my country

You travel from United States
To Africa, coming to meet
My beloved poor country

Speaking my languages
Sharing my food and my names
Kissing, loving, sharing!

The spirit is positive
The heart is clean
The body is ready

Thank you so much!

God bless America!
God bless Peace Corps!
God bless Humanity!

Big Brother Simbè

Washington, D.C., July 2, 2011