Freedom

Freedom
We are off the chain, 
But we let up the rein. 
Endurance flows through our veins, 
But we still live in pain and disdain. 

We have much, 
We gain less. 
We hold the torch, 
But wriggle in darkness. 
Our hands are dry, 
And we never stop to try. 
Instead of wealth and good health, 
All we have is to lick our sweat. 

We strive like lions, 
And die like ants. 
We grow to millions, 
Yet we feed on remnants. 

We sing songs of freedom, 
But we march up to our martyrdom. 
Hope we find our saviour, 
That will relieve us of these rigours. 
Who will free us from the grips of our shadows, 
And the thoughts of ours that are shallow.
Everyone wants peace, 
And tired of seeing people dying in pieces. 
We want pain of life at its bearable minimum,
Not catastrophes and pandemonium. 

It is always an easy thought, 
To be a leader and be seen as paramount. 
But this is all we get, 
This is what our being loyal amounts.

Our leaders are whips, 
Taking tears from the eyes and cries from the lips. 
This is an awesome bitter chronicle, 
An ant devours lions, 
Elephants are helpless. 
This is a song of sorrow, 
Only the dead cannot sing. 

Our hearts pine for justice, 
But our minds betray us. 
We are captives of our thoughts, 
Our fights are ironies. 
We only want the pains to go, 
We are used to our nightmares. 

We enjoy our sour milk, 
We manage our dry breads. 
They render us shackles, 
We concur with wide grin, 
Because we know we will still see another day. 


The mistake we all made, 
We were deceived by small ropes, 
Tied around our legs. 
We grow up with it, 
But still think we can't be free. 
Boom is our hope, 
Evaporating into the thin air.
Cries of innocents puddle my mind, 
I wish the world does not grow old, 
I wish we never discover oil, 
I wish we never had the freedom from the whites.

We grow in figure, 
But wallow in rigours. 
We pay it with our own coin. 
Nowhere to run to, 
The waves blocked us up, 
We are in the dark side of the world, 
Where law is impotent. 

I miss the time we were happy, 
I miss the time the country was young. 
I miss the pride of our flag, 
I miss the moments there were peace,
When people meet with flashing teeth. 
I miss the beauty of our culture. 
We are totally lost, 
We don't know where we are, 
Or where is it we are going. 


I love my country, 
God bless Nigeria.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

Poem

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Nusker Avatar
June 12, 2017 at 12:21 PM
Welcome to PoetrySoup, Jamiu. This is a wonderful poem with a lot of heart wrenching emotions flowing through. I'm going to fave it.
Hayes Avatar
June 1, 2017 at 5:56 PM
This a well written piece, that displays the irony of freedom and all its side affects. Happiness is key here, reminiscence is not just a casual glance. It plays a role in history where we can compare. But the net of controls is flung wide to encompass a life fought for and the disappointments that come with change and deliberation. Hope here is a flag. It is not of surrender but of need. It is blown by adversity.
Otieng Avatar
June 1, 2017 at 11:30 AM
Nice poem Jamiu.
White Avatar
May 23, 2017 at 1:54 AM
What a beautiful tribute to your country. That longing and pain, you worded that so very well. Welcome to PoetrySoup :)
Adegboyega Avatar
May 27, 2017 at 6:57 AM
thanks so much sir... look forward to being like you sir
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