M Braimah Saaka Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

In the obituary section of Ghanaian newspapers, the cause of death is almost always "after a short illness".

Obituary

In ghana
no one dies
before a short illness
no tarriness
quick, swift

no prolonged sickness
debilitating, painful
by the barrel of a gun
or incantation
by the bonnet of a car
or prophecy

no one dies
no sudden death
before a short illness
no one

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Old Buck August 2, 2017 at 11:00 AM Everywhere and without exception, we all die. It's the way that we are privileged to live that seems to me to set us apart. Some seem far more "privileged" than others. Thanks for sharing these thoughtful words with all of us on the soup. oldbuck

Aqua Marine August 2, 2017 at 12:46 AM I think one has to understand the cultural aspects expressed in this poem...having friends from Congo, Nigeria,Cameroon, is helpful...there is depth here, layers of meaning, and a sense of final acceptance of the inevitable...Sad for your loss..