POET OF THE WEEK: Obinna Chilekezi

Cry for the Beloved Country
the devil, like a dragon spider, befriended
the ruled, the ruler, the murderer and murdered
as hot bloods split out, spreading on the road

just like a sour dream chugging forth
reminisces of that thirty months, of
red rain in the land, of no learning by all

to both sides of the divide, peace is not
a virtue; as political venom split out
and hatred are. misinformation spread

intolerance order of the clime
spreading, devouring, and another cries
dripping in red and further cries

our nation burns
and this red rain offensive to the sky
this a dream or what
as social tongues cut half the already
dead peace in the land, so more blood split
in this nation, torn into pieces of rags

date your dead
date your wounded
what a sad dream to behold.

Chilekezi is the author of the anthology of poems ‘Songs of a Stranger at the Smiling Coast’