Posterity Holds Great Whips By Olayinka Oregbemi-Essien

Sing to me a sad song

When we forget the conscience of memory in horrid hurry.

Make music to me, please

when amnesia blots out our humanity.

Let it rise

and leap above forgetfulness.

Let us not die, my brothers

and wallow in poor memory

That posterity may not pound us with

great whips like furious Fulani herdsmen

handling cruel cow canes.

Sing to me,

the tale of Lucky Dube, the maestro we mourn.

Hum the dirge of the Batman tale in Colorado

Croon songs of Malala,

The Taliban’s many crimes against womanity.

Chant the dirge of Awonoor,

Victim of the man’s inhumanity.

Drone the loud young cries in Vietnam and Hiroshima,

Of youth sniffed out senselessly.

Cry out the pains of Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria

Yes, yell out our collective pains

For then shall the world listen and learn

in every four pretty corners of the earth

that posterity holds long, great whips to lash out against inhumanity!