Songs of Anisha
“A Good Speaker,”
by Henry Ajah
I
We’ve all heard it before;
the many faithful words of hope.
The sketch of new strategies oozing
from behind the mic to us pleasurable oration.
What’s more than hope to a sunless day?
Haze our heads with words of hope.
Haze us until we fall asleep this dark night,
totally ravished by your words that we quest for dreams,
lost dreams of many gloomy days.
Send us words! Even much more, speak on!
Until we’re struck with insomnia,
listening to you with swollen eyes and hungry bellies.
If it be for hope,
we shall yet keep a night to listen,
until our hearts hear the soothing sound of a mighty rain.
For we say the cloud has gathered!
II
But excuse me sir, you bear some similitude.
That wrap! Yes, that foil of closing remark,
A platitude cheered by many;
we have seen it before!
Precious words of finest strength.
We read them in books and heard them before
and cheered them with our chilly hearts.
Give us a moment chief.
For we shall yet convene again as we
swallow our hurry with history.
May we see you again on a later day,
Your calabash filled with just a piece of edible bread;
Leavened or far from it, we care no less.
And promise us not the hallowed bread,
words that only make the finest speakers
as a manner of speaking.
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