A Point of Recovery
By Kellie Keita, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Flung over the last spot of its ashes, it now stands re-incarnated
Like a phoenix providing the field for mass carnage and mutilation
Known as the home of mutilators and the mutilated, it revived
Long and short sleeves that depicted human stumps found amends
The living and the living dead cohabited as beings powerless reduced
To penury that rendered capacity captive, negligible and zero
In retrospect the Lion Mountain has overcome the image hurdle
It took toil, sweat and blood to reconquer and restore acceptability
An apprentice of democracy, every citizen braved bullets, cutlasses
And even emasculation to choose the guaranteed liberty voice
Not once, not twice but even thrice deceit rejected as partisans
Of the Grand Old Party strutted their chests ostentatiously,
“We have the money and the influence; we can have everyone
in our pockets. Even if a single soul gives us the ballot, we’re sure
to be there home and dry”. How condescending, how paternalistic!
What a blunder to have seconded the boast with pouring rice to the
Dust in the full view of empty churning tummies in the rains!
The message never resonated with the sane who had the voice
They solidly stood out on the day of reckoning with vengeance
Their voice was not for sale but for that hope so long jilted
Hope for a better future in the midst of abundance and plenty
Revamped and better living standards for all without exception
Half a decade on the reaping goes on for the ripe fruits borne
No regrets registered for the sturdy decision taken then
Yes indeed a low-income State but promising state with
Human development indicators fast chasing the summit
No longer the laughing-stock of the alien investor or the
Dread of the tourist out to sun-bathe at Lakka Beach
Gains made are points of recovery undeniably crystal.
Kellie Keita (02/01/2013)
Comments