Poetry

Benon lutaaya

 

By

Moses Chukwuemeka Daniel

 

 

Africa oh Africa

 

 

Our sacrosanct land of old,

Born of black unique and bold,

With your endless struggles to grow,

You once wore grasses as clothes,

Just to hide shame not guts.

 

Today your voice is heard,

But your value is ensnared,

By your children’s children,

Who do nothing but glare.

 

You once bathed with the wind,

There was no stereo music,

But the birds you watched sing in the morning,

And crickets in the evening.

 

The day gave you vision,

And the night got you wisdom,

You were a stranger to love,

And an adept to tilling soils.

 

Africa oh Africa,

Today your voice is clear,

Africa my Africa,

But why leave in fear?

 

Your grand children are wise,

Yes they are,

But they know not your struggles,

They have no clue.

 

Remember oh those days,

Of white invasion,

Remember oh those years,

Of bewitching exaggeration.

 

Oh your foods,

They are now buried in ignorance,

Oh how sweet and beautiful,

But they died to the new world without cognizance.

 

Your men and women,

Though naked but loved relentless,

Even in darkness,

They cared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A letter to the Governor (Ebonyi State)

 

 

My heart gladdens at your good works,

Conspicuously they spill good luck,

I saw how you polished our enthusiastic legs,

Now we walk on marbles and gems,

Your efforts are heart warming,

Unlike how yesterday got us diminishing,

I solemnly stand behind your good will,

Because i know on good path we find good dreams.

 

The future is never a friend,

As we find change right now an enemy,

But let your good works find no end,

In your endeavour for a new beginning,

Change and restructure the rice mill,

Give aid and recuperate the cement industries,

Resuscitate the health care of the Ebonyi infants,

Retaliate the strength of our agricultural endowment in rural communities,

Reduce the amount spent on superfluous parties,

And invest in the education of our children,

Create job opportunities for our graduates to own offices,

Renumerate the effort of our civil service,

Harness our talent in every tenacity,

And then sit back and watch us thrive.

 

This is no business as usual,

Work, work and work,

In no circumstance should you ever stop,

We must make our land like what we see in London,

So lead the way for us to follow,

Lead us to adequate growth,

we will fight by your side,

So you must teach us how to fish,

Lest our hands be stuck to your dish,

And remember it won’t be easy,

But let God tell your story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen to these words instead

 

 

Have you been cheated by the world?

They made you cry without remorse?

They laughed at your every fall?

Please listen to these words.

 

They came as friends,

Brought your happiness to its end,

Lies and lies they possess,

Oh to these words listen to them.

 

Their words made you wither, from the steel you once wore,

If those words could make you bitter,

Embrace these words it is a stronger wall.

 

They proclaim peace and love,

They showcase hatred and war,

Lie still on these words,

Beyond your view they carry lot more.

 

I will love you they pledged,

But like locusts they fled,

Remember tomorrow is a friend,

Now listen to these words that care.

 

Let the words that i share,

Wipe the tears that you bare,

Let those pains of yesterday,

Be witnesses to the beauty of today.

 

Listen to these words instead,

They were blessed by mother’s love,

And cuddled by father’s strength,

Just to let you know how much poetry cares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moses Chukwuemeka Daniel

Moses Chukwuemeka Daniel is from Nigeria and is the fourth child of a family of seven. He is aspiring to study English and literary studies in university.