Least We Forget
They will not forget
to this they swear
neither will we ever
get near the end of
hearing of it all, I fear
So it's with the dedication
Of a sinner to prayer
that they dole out their
perceived just deserts
Fists thrust up to the skies
feet stomping in defiance
they honour their grief
"WE WIL NOT FORGET
WE WILL NOT FORGET ...."
Indulging their right to privilege
Least we forget we are
just the supporting cast
And so we fall back dutifully
biting our tongues back
An unwilling audience
As they rant and rave
in outraged entitlement
The echo of our silence
rings loud and clear to
announce our cheerful
endorsement, drowning out
the flimsy whispers of protests
rousing from the depths of
our down trodden souls
Where our own grief lies
in a state of woeful neglect
Forgotten like the
fabled black poppies
"WE WILL NOT FORGET
WE WILL NOT FORGET ......."
Prised my clenched teeth apart
then dumped a spoonful of it
straight into my heart, like it was
a much needed life saving tincture
While I continued to scour the dirt
for sustenance, barely keeping afloat
in that huge sea of disparity
Grief a luxury I could never afford
"WE WILL NOT FORGET
WE WILL NOT FORGET...!!!!"
Rammed down our throats
As if they held proprietary rights
over grief, while the rest of us
only serve as a backdrop
To validate their fragile egos
Till night falls and with stealth
We steal away, souls finally unyoke
Under the safety of the dark
we turn inward to lick our wounds
Look onto the source for restoration
give a bow to the ones who swirl eternally
in the dark belly of the bottomless seas
entangled in the seaweeds,
chained limbs and all, now forgotten
the ones whose blood watered
foreign lands just for another's pillage
and plunder, unsung heroes, footprints
long swept away by the winds of time
Their spirits have since been denied
the tribal rites of passage home
Their names are only whispered
by the howling gales and the
ferocious typhoons, even then
only when the storm peaks
Was it not your souls that
put this fire in our bellies?
Are you not the root of our resilience?
You that are our source of hope
Though I have no worldly
banners to hoist nor a gavel
to crack in your honour
My heart remains your monument
Engraved with the sweet offering
of your self sacrifice back then
Everytime I breathe you are alive
Your blood inflames my veins
Your strength powers my loins
Bone marrow to my bones
Your wisdom guides my feet
As I dance to the master's false tune
Your gentle spirit soothes my aching soul
I now know you need no validation
And that is enough to see me through
the rise and fall of my chest
a trusty reminder, least I forget
Copyright © Stafish Olor | Year Posted 2020
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