Midnight Roll Call
International relations clerk on duty enters
In her hand is a list of nations from Africa
One by one she shouts out their surnames
The assembly monitors gives her feedback
confirming presence or absence that day
Nations present she gives a golden ribbon
The ones absent she paints with red crayon
Punctuated with cheers by loyalists she shouts;
“Libya”
He is admitted in hospital for intensive care
Last night he drove recklessly and fell into dish
“South Sudan”
Still in salon to shave off the bushy beards
It is not long since she came out of the bush
“Democratic Republic of Congo”
Can’t find his way here due to dangers
Ferocious squirrels litter impenetrable forests
“Uganda”
Look over there; in the bush catching hoppers
He wants to establish private silicon valleys
“Eritrea”
Went to sleep evening but has not woken up
I hear he has had long traumatic dreams
“Somalia”
Last evening he was hijacked by sea-pirates
But little is known about his whereabouts
“Nigeria”
Busy putting out bushfire in north-eastern zones
Lightning started it but none knows how to stop it
“Botswana”
Present. She is there with baskets of apples
The desert nation has plenty of reliable rainfall
“Libya”
Over there running. No one knows where he is going.
Possibly check with the ghosts of the Mediterranean
Copyright © Solomon Ochwo-Oburu | Year Posted 2018
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