“Saminaka! I have got my own I am not a slave.” The mantra modulated on and on Upon the bland sight of a land The sole repeated pattern of a sound Upon which a poet picked his hwyl. I am never a slave to journey Neither is journey a slave to me I pass through journey… Continue reading SIGHTING THE THREES ON MY WAY TO SAMINAKA
Tag: slavery
THIS MAN
Enter the dark and nebulous worldof psychology And find first that no man Is separated from his belief system. Many manners and hasty habits moving toward him, From the créche to the gait of grey-head A behaviour is cultivated through crawling set of habits Competing for his way of life. These crawlers will block the… Continue reading THIS MAN
THE SOLDIER’S BROKEN HEART
My Dear Amore, “Some of you will not live to tell of how we won or lost this battle…” Those where part of the last words we were told by our commander before we departed Far away from our father land and deep into the western world we headed Our county’s name, honour and glory… Continue reading THE SOLDIER’S BROKEN HEART
NO!
Why should I bother? Why cry for me brother? Why getting worried father? Why not let them gather? I am just a young teen Not even up to eighteen This marriage thing…? I will not get it in! Many adults fail when married End up broken, I’m worried Kids not allowed growing older Foetus stopped… Continue reading NO!
THE BRIDE’S CRY
See h’r caught in a marriage throb, welcomed in the arms of an overaged, beautified in her ceremonial robe. Yet they watch’d the underaged, captured by modern slavery, deprived of her right forever… H’r dignity is broken exchang’d with a heavy token. Will she breathe the air of freedom when the old fool calls out… Continue reading THE BRIDE’S CRY
UNTITLED
Where we were once bound… When love we claimed to have found. What then is this heavy shackle? We used to drink from heaven’s pond! Did we indeed trade freedom for slavery? Did we to drunk gods sell our souls in a hurry? Does love come, hiding a poisoned dart? Does it weaken the mind… Continue reading UNTITLED
MOTHER IN THE SUN
I am the back That received those stripes From the cage for freedom: To you, I come, Africa! To you, I come, Mother in the sun! With striated shadows of grief, Barefooted, Like ugoni village priest: I bare no teeth in laughter. I only bawl for my sorrowed life. But, when you welcome My sore… Continue reading MOTHER IN THE SUN
BUILDERS OF THE WORLD
For the world, unwillingly Africa toiled, not sparingly Like locusts in a leafy field Africans worked without sunshield The nations of progress Are the showcases of African process At heart is success Away from thought is ‘to mess’ Look at the Super Power They could have been lower Were it not for the African back… Continue reading BUILDERS OF THE WORLD
SLAVERY
Born in the theatre of natural plenty Breast-fed and mid-wifed by capitalist selfishness A colonial and exploitative social formation We were told to close our eyes for prayers And all we had were carted away They said we were a dark continent That we had no history That we were from the lineage of apes… Continue reading SLAVERY
SHACKLES
If you were still in shackles Of the old era of slavery With whips and rods Drawing map, leading more into slavery On your brutalized, battered, burnt, black back Would you ever have a moment of joy Than a hopeless flash of freedom In your worrisome dream? Slave! So you would be called With shackles… Continue reading SHACKLES