Poetry

flickr photo

By

Alem Hailu G/Kristos

A Martyr’s Eulogy

On my way to work,

Whenever I pass through

The Holy Trinity church,

After a brief prayer,

The tombstone of a martyr

My eyes never fail to search

As his eulogies sensitive cords

Are sure to touch!

I admire

The tombstone’s design

A flickering torch,

Whose tongue

Is the martyr’s statue,

That talks loud his virtue!

“Holy Trinity

Till I crossed the river of death

Allegedly, stripped of my health,

Poisoned by evil doers,

Who hanker

By unfair means

To amass wealth,

I had been

A public servant

Adherent to my faith!”

“Holy Trinity

To abide by

Your commandment-

Don’t steal-

Was my desire

Also to pull out millions

From poverty’s quagmire.

Across the board development

Working better than one’s best

Efficient resource utilization

Also drew my attention!”

“Holy Trinity

A generation

To corruption averse

Is all-out

The bad scenario

In my country

To reverse.

A generation for

A developmental thrust

That has lust.

I have come to understand

The coming up of

Many a lass and lad,

Whose rights that demand

I need no more reward,

When in front of you

This way I stand

Justice to demand!”

Children of Oromia,

Ethiopia’s elephantine branch,

You have to detach

Your state, your country

From the impudent

And the corrupt

That still exercise

The outmoded

Colonizers’

Divide and rule

As a fool.

A corruption fighter

Development’s workforce

Is also a hero

Like Ethiopia’s

Valorous and dear sons

Balcha Abanefso

Geresu Duke, Abdisa Aga

And Jagama Kelo.

Children of Oromia

Giving to divisive guys

A deaf ear,

You should hold your

Country Ethiopia,

A cradle of mankind

And civilization, dear

Do not forget

Adding up

Is the current road map

Evil doers

Killing a hero

Could not bring

The change drive

To zero.

As a poet what I can say

“Evil doers

Stop to opt for

Devilish way!

But if you

Keeping going astray

You will go

To the grave in

Ignominious way!”

Alem Hailu G/Kristos

A published poet, novelist, editor, translator of masterpieces, literary critic, playwright and journalist from Ethiopia. M.A holder in literature, Addis Ababa University.

Looking for a traditional publisher of a collection of poems. My novel: ‘Hope from the debris of hopelessness’.