Lamentation



At us, the world has turned her back, 
We journeying unprepared,
Into the penal wilderness
With paltry voices of sorrow
Rutted like pigs in the mud

We know only one meal
On the street, we trade for money
On the street, we kowtow for food
In kiosks, we lay our heads at night
While others are swimming in the pool of affluence
We are bathing in the pool of poverty

Poverty! Why us?
You have shattered our dreams
Our childhood aspirations are dead
Carried away by the mighty Volta
Our tiny little hands work daily

We struggle in vain for better state 
Communal loot has emptied our country's pocket
Where is poverty? 
Poverty! poverty where is your place of birth?
We are at war with terrible dreams 
As we are back to back with our heads down under the bridges

The world is not fair to us 
The rich in absolute avarice
And we turned to be their dogs
Serving as security guards at night
Even their leftovers they refuse us

We are crooked scythe and spade
Hope and help are nowhere to be found
When shall we smell the aroma of richness?
Oh death! 
Come and lay your icy hands on us
Perhaps, in heaven, we shall wash our dirty bodies in affluence.

We wish we could work hard
And enjoy a better living
But it is later now
And only heaven can decide.

 ©Efo Losu*

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