Tears For My Beloved Country By John Chizoba Vincent

TEARS FOR MY BELOVED COUNTRY How she now sits all alone The city that was full of people How she has become like a widow; She who was populous among the nations! How she who was a princess among the province Has been put to a force labour! She weeps profusely during the night And her tears covers her cheeks Not one of all her lovers is there To hold and comfort her. All her own companion have betrayed her; They have become her enemies Is it nothing to all of you who pass along the road? Look and see! Is there any pain like the pains that Was dealt out of me? From on high he has set fire into my bone And he subdues each one He has spread out a net my feet; He has forced me to turn backward He has made me a desolate woman All day long I am ill The tongue of the nursery infant sticks To its palate because of thirst My Children beg for bread but no one goes to them Those who used to eat delicacies lie famished In the street.those who were brought up wearing scarlet have embrace ash heaps The punishment of daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of sodom Which was outthrown in a moment With no hand to help her Their appearance has become darker than soot They are not recognised in the streets Their skin has shriveled over their bones; It has become like dry wood in the forest Those slain with sword are better off than Those slain by famine, those who waste away, Who are pierced through for lack of food from the field. The hands of compassionate women Have boiled their children, they have Become their food of mourning during The break down of the daughter of my people Go away! Unclean!" They call out to them "Go away! Go away! Do not touch us" For they have gone homeless and wander about People have said among the nations "They cannot stay here with us" Man up! Man up country men Let it be told that we choose to die On our feet rather than live on our kneel.