Poetic License

This week, our poetic licence goes to Khadija Lawal Kwargana who hails from Gombe. She is a graduate of Gombe State University where she studied English Language. She is currently undertaking her national youth service.

Death of Silence The tradition after death is to mourn Shall I mourn the death of silence By wearing black clothes And screaming to the world That I mourn the demise of silence? Or should I celebrate With fura da nono That today silence is dead? Are not the whispering trees The fluttering leaves And the dirge of birds Enough to mark the demise of silence? They are powerful voices That speak for humanity The lofty words of the wise and sages Born out of the death of silence. Where it All Begins I am tired of all Poverty. I am tired of the rampant Corruption misgovernance. I am tired of all the Bombing and killing. I am tired of these Tribal and religious wars. I am tired of all the Nefarious pretentions. I am tired of everything. and I reset to search where it all begins. I was told it began with the Europeans Who looted our lands and underdeveloped us Alas! For fifty years the story has not changed! To be sure, I enquired again I was told it began with the government They are responsible for all the vices. Confused, I asked: All this while? Who is the government? Where is the government? No one answered Because everyone is. I continued my journey Until I met a man with grey hair I asked him from where it all began. He looked at me pitifully And sadly replied: My child you we’re not taught your history The era of tales by moonlight is gone You don’t know where you came from Where you are now, nor Where you are going. For all the problems we encounter in life Begins with you and me With US! I walked away dejected For the answer I got Is neither Europeans nor the government But YOU and ME.