arise afrika arise

siphoning our raw materials
while in abject poverty we wallow
taking away our gold,diamonds and platinum
while we adorn our bodies with fake jewellery

propagating their anglophone ideas
spreading their francophone thinking
somewhere lusophone ideas held supreme
afrikan philosophies on the dung heap

the poisoned and stunted present crop
choosing to forget marcus mosiah garvey
choosing to forget kwame nkrumah
choosing to remove reggae from the air waves

that dream should now bear fruit
those chasms have to be bridged
the senseless bickering should end
afrika with mud and spittle get your sight

healing the nation

never again should we be subjected
subjected to the profanation of the sacrosanct
the sacrosanct symbols of our struggle
never again should there be the arrogance
the arrogance of self proclaimed saviours
leaving people to burn in the sun
while in hotels they wine and dine
with hounds and concubines in tow
inflammatory speeches should forever be gone
statesmen and women should take to podiums
messages of nation building should resonate
the time for the healing of the nation is now

OUT OF THE CAGE

the birds will freely twitter
they shall be out of the cages
there will be the shattering of strictures
no more will the plants be potted
and mercilessly trimmed to the gardener's dictates
the wings will grow freely
the birds will perch on the tallest trees
there to take in the cool air

the devil at work

and now my people die
they die of neglect
arrogance is killing us
the arrogance of god given rulers
my people perish
poverty kills us by the million
while the devil enjoys the spectacle
hospitals lie buried beneath mismanagement
morgues are full of maggots
everyday my people suffer and die
tears in their eyes always
parents too weak to bury their children
the leaders are too busy to care
the devil is at work

still at it

listening to myself
listening to others
this mindless cacophony
thinking of ecclesiastes
that prophetic book
thinking of poly tricks
thinking of black and white
thinking of the american dream
thinking of illusions and lies
thinking of the white house
maybe the black and white house
thinking of the foul mouthed leaders
wondering what next they will say
that is the way it is

tumultuous times[stream of consciousness work!]

then you left in a huff
the living was getting rough
the vortex of violence
the raging fiery inferno
some say you ran away
the fire razing your home
that you had to extinguish
in the still of the night
you left for another country
that country called exile
there to face horrors of rejection
family ties brutally severed
the turbulence within
today the tumultous times still
the news from what was home
what is still home to you
the mind gripped by anxiety
the bags you pack and unpack
hearing of the fragile peace
hearing of self seeking politicians
your mind in turbulence still
conflicting stories reverberating
throwing your mind into a whirlpool
trying to bridge that gap
the gap between the truth and lies
the tumultous times dog you still
well you are not alone in this
the tired masses back home wait
dying in anticipation of respite
retaining that resilience still
swallowing that drug called hope
trying to look back into the future
yearning for a lustrous future
wondering whether the trust is misplaced
wondering whether the leopard changed spots
for the first cut was the deepest
for the cock will always crow
and the dove will always coo
waiting in anticipation of the good times
when the wounds will heal
when the african laughter will resonate
and the world will join in the fun

TWO POEMS FROM TURBULENT TIMES!

BARE FACTS

where do we fit
this scheme of things
these dog fights
the thugs at the helm
their concubines in tow
the fight for privileges
that is the whole story

NO DROWNING

never to drown these thoughts
drown these thoughts in euphoria
still in love with socratic scepticism
questioning the answers they give
espousing chameleonic caution still
nothing wrong with doubting thomas
the tortoise will complete its journey