The waters took their banks with them
It was like we cashed out on savings
Deposits made by ancestral spirits
Long ago we have paid dues
Thinking to bribe the water
With deaths on high seas
We thought that blood
Would wash our sins away.
The ice caps are melting
They said
You use too much of carbon
They warned
But for our posh cars
Luxury of refrigerators
Lower costs of production
We burnt more fuel
Waged war on the Ozone
Unsheathed our sword on the shores.
Deceived by our own immunity
We forgot our pact with mortality
As in our hearts we placed ourselves
On the throne of gods
Exalted on the wings of our genius
We thought “Einstein can handle this!”
It turned out the Sun and Moon
Were in cohort
A war on humanity
The tides swaying to the stellar algorithms
“Pick a quarrel with your mate”
Is a worthy counsel
That man has never obeyed.
Here we are at Benue
Those there also at Houston
Witnesses to aquatic carnage
Washed off our cushion chairs
Dragged off our comfort porches
Soaked to our pants
Struggling with the wind!
Our will is cracked open
Our spirit bent double
The struggle with God chokes us
The mud has risen to our necks
The floods have wrapped us whole
And when we met Harvey
We said
Have it your way.
Dear reader,
Thanks for reading my poetry. I made this post to contribute to awareness efforts around the world. A number of charities and organizations are donating to victims of the Benue Flood and Hurricane Harvey. Check out these two awareness options:
- Benue Sterling Bank Fund Raiser: All you have to do is retweet this twitter post by Sterling Bank and they donate Fifty (50) Naira per retweet. Check tweet here.
- Here is a list of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts you can join. Click here.
In case you know of any other charity that need awareness for Benue Victims fund raising, please comment with their name and link so that visitors can see. Please share my poem with your friends and family, also let me know if you loved it.
0 Comments