Tags
Apartheid, Apathy, blacks, Hatred, racism, South Africa, xenophobia
Madness
madness took over certain streets in South Africa
black-skinned clad blacks got fed up with playing second fiddle
brothers and sisters from the diaspora were now pariah
in a frenzy of hatred, like fiends from Hades
they hacked, butchered, mutilated, maimed and wounded.
their assegais dripped red
the caked earth
a mirror of the economy, grew soggy with red.
but tell me
but how can you play second fiddle
when you are not even a first fiddle
Chaka would have puked in envy.
And the stars blinked in confusion.
mad men urged them on
and they raged on
black-skinned clad black bodies glittering with red sweat
while the whole world cried xenophobia!
we have now got a new word in our lexicon,
with so many
dissections, analysis, explanations, commentary and deciphering.
and on they raged;
Genghis Khan would have clapped at their ferocity.
And with xenophobia on all our lips,
we do nothing!
We are too busy chewing on the word into a smooth paste;
or else it chokes us in the swallowing
and we regurgitate apartheid.
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu 23/04/15
faroleiro (@faroleiro1) said:
God bless you!
Immanuel
readinpleasure said:
Thank you so much, Faroleiro. 🙂 God bless you too.
Abra Asmussen said:
Celestine, a poem of this nature shows how gifted you are and how far you are able to run With Your imagination. Without being in South Africa, I have been able to travel on Your Words and felt the pain many are going through even as I Write. Keep it up! Cudos to you 🙂
readinpleasure said:
Abra darling, thanks so much for your lovely encouragement. What’s going on in SA is a disgrace, to put it mildly. And the AU is just treating the whole thing like a market fight between women.
I do miss you and it’s a pity we couldn’t hook up when you came to Ghana.
Abra Asmussen said:
I know, Cele. I felt bad too. Will try to make time when I visit again within this year. Will keep you posted in Your FB innbox. Take care 🙂
readinpleasure said:
I will my dear. You too. 🙂
Stella Eromonsere-Ajanaku said:
Hello Abra, I agree with you. Celestine is gifted in helping us gain insight into the resurgence of apartheid in South Africa.
Abra Asmussen said:
Thank you, Stella. Celestine has always been good in poetry. We were classmates. She is gifted, widely read and has good imagination. These are very good qualities. I am proud to be her friend. We go way back 🙂
readinpleasure said:
Ow, Abra Sylvia, now I’m blushing under my dark tan. 🙂
readinpleasure said:
Thank you Stella. 🙂
Floyd.Amerado.El Nana said:
great, great . it’s been long since you wrote something long.
readinpleasure said:
Thank you Floyd. I know oo. I shall try. 🙂
Lisa Hill said:
Wow, Celestine, this is the kind of poetry the world needs. I have tweeted it to all my followers…
readinpleasure said:
Lisa thanks so much for the kind words. Grateful for the tweet. 🙂
thotpurge said:
Stunning last few lines.. powerful write.
readinpleasure said:
Thank you so. 🙂
Alice Keys said:
Ah! What a wonderful poem. This is a work of art about a tragedy.
readinpleasure said:
Thanks a million, Alice.
Alice Keys said:
🙂
Sharmishtha Basu said:
very powerful! I am glad that I am not reading/seeing news! well it makes life much pleasant!
I hope they will come to their senses!
readinpleasure said:
I hope so too., Trisha. Thanks.
charmingyellow said:
Wow Afua… This is real deep!!!
readinpleasure said:
Thank you Mary. 🙂
Stella Eromonsere-Ajanaku said:
The world is too busy chewing the word, Xenophobia into a smooth paste. Such carnage leaves a bitter taste on our tongue and our hearts wonder if these people will be brought to justice.
A great picture you have painted as always, Celestine. A very moving tribute to the fallen.
readinpleasure said:
Thank you so much Stella. 🙂 Sometimes, i just despair at the way we blacks handle our issues.
Stella Eromonsere-Ajanaku said:
As long as there life, we must have hope, Celestine.
200 school girls have been found in Sambisa forest in Nigeria. Thank God. We must keep hope alive.
readinpleasure said:
Thank God Stella. When I heard the news I couldn’t believe it. There is hope yet for the 200 Chibok girls. 🙂
greenspeckblogger said:
This speaks so loud … When will humans learn?
readinpleasure said:
It seems we would never do so. 🙂
Sun said:
you captured the upheaval so well in your poem and i wonder how one manages to stay composed with all the daily unrest in SA.
hese lines, captivating:
“their assegais dripped red . . .the caked earth. . . a mirror of the economy, grew soggy with red.”
readinpleasure said:
Sun, thank you. The madness has to cease in SA and indeed everywhere there is upheaval.
purehaiku said:
powerful and thought provoking words
readinpleasure said:
Freya, thanks. 🙂
RoSy said:
So much madness throughout the world. When will it end?
readinpleasure said:
Hmm, ask again, Rosy. We can only hope we make a difference with our words. 🙂
Mary Ann Barton said:
Fierce!
readinpleasure said:
Thank you Mary. Indeed we live in fierce times. 🙂