Dear Leader,
Some call it conscience,
Others call it the voice of God;
Whatever it is, dear Leader,
Has your wicked hand twisted the tongue of that tiny voice
So much that you hear it no more?
So much that ‘heartlessness’ is now your watchword?
Since the days of your amoral forefathers,
Naming ceremonies have heralded every evil act.
Monikers, which like your ill-gotten affluence, soothe your hollow chest.
So you steal no more, dear Leader.
You only embezzle.
You lie no more,
You only prevaricate.
You kill no more,
All you do is eliminate.
These names, like the caressing hands of your mistresses
Soothe your head; that machinery of inhumanity!
And your restless back,
On which lies the nation`s wealth.
Dear Leader,
The roads you vowed to construct,
The markets you promised to build,
The schools you said you would establish,
The hospitals …
We still await!
And while we wait,
Our numerous citadels of maiming
Unleash human beasts into the land
Every four years!
Just as your political caucus of doom
Slides a winning hand of victory across the land
Every four years!
Little wonder you say you are parties;
Now we know what and how you celebrate.
While we still wait, dear Leader,
A word of advice for you:
A time is coming
When the music in your party will fade,
When the prey will become the predator,
When the seats of leadership will be for those
Who have clean hands and pure hearts.
A time is coming
When the seats of leadership will return to the sane.
A time is coming, dear Leader,
When righteousness will again be celebrated in governance.
But while we still wait …
The pensioners,
The workers,
The youth,
The students,
And all those from whom you have
Illegally,
Cleverly,
And atrociously coveted funds
Told somebody I know
To tell somebody you know
To tell you –
Since you have gone deaf, like Baal of the ancient prophets –
That you should give to the people what belongs to the people.
Your dear follower,
Akinsiwaju Sanya.
If you have written a poem you would like published on ‘Poets’ Thursday’, send it in a mail titled ‘Poets’ Thursday’ to wordsarework@gmail.com.
Words Are Work … and fun too!
I don’t think there are any more bald-faced, accomplished liars and thieves in the world more than our politicians and leaders.
I swear down.
!!!!!
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[…] because they not only had the power of causing a small eruption of laughter from me as I read the poem, I also happen to believe that there’s an irony in them that emphasizes the mocking nature of the […]