The earth, is silent today
The winds will not blow protesting
The birds will not sing, tightening their beaks
The trees refuse company, welcoming no friends
The trees would not allow the birds
To sit on their branches not without songs
The birds would not recite in songs
The morning poem to wake man
All flags to half mast, except for red
All the rainbow colors to be put away
It is the season for black and red
To be worn, it is the season for tears
It is the season for men and women
To sing sorrowful songs of poetry
The birds the birds would not recite
The morning poem to wake man
He stayed up all night mourning
And the women wallowing in pain
For the loss of the inscriber who writes
The songs of poetry the birds sing in the morning
The darkness of man, the darkness of religion
Has taken the voices of the birds to the grave
So silent the birds have become, not reciting in songs
The morning poem to wake man
And the trees would not give a branch
To be sat on, without the promise of the bird's song
The inscriber of the bird's song is no more
Religion has taken him away from us
A moth without the lamp of light, the earth is silent today
The winds will not blow protesting their sorrow
The tree branch would not dance with the winds
For the birds have lost their voice in Kofi Awoonor
Rest In Peace....The inscriber of the bird's morning songs
Killed by Al-Shabab in Kenya, all for nothing, nothing to stand for, nothing at all
and all the other victims in the shootings, like the birds have lost their voice
In Memory of
Professor George Kofi Awoonor-Williams (A Poet)
( 13 /03/1935 - 21/09/2013)
What a moving poem this is, Kodjo, on a sad current situation.
ReplyDeleteVery heartfelt, as is all of your poems. Beautifully told tragedy.
ReplyDeletesad at what is taken from us in a blink of an eye, the buck of a gun---what was never considered in the pull of the trigger...
ReplyDeletedeeply sorrowful. "And the trees would not give a branch
ReplyDeleteTo be sat on without the promise of the birds song " - my fav lines.
A very strong memorial to a poet. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteA moth without the lamp of light,... a telling image....
ReplyDelete"The birds would not recite in songs
ReplyDeleteThe morning poem to wake man "
my favourite line, though profoundly frightening to me; have a nice Sunday
much love...
Such a tragic event, and a wonderful memorial to a great poet and man. Nice job. May his soul rest in peace and may justice be served and the violence end.
ReplyDeletestrong and lovely tribute to a good man
ReplyDeleteThis is one of your most beautiful poems, Kodjo. How very sad that this great man has been lost. I love that the trees and birds join in sorrow and refuse their songs on this sad day. This is such a beautiful tribute.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is filled with grief..sad when a bird loses his voice..a powerful write..
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tribute to that poet... a deep and moving poem
ReplyDeleteI was so upset to read of the passing of a poet in such a violent way. As an African myself, my heart cries for the spirit of Ubuntu which is lacking on our continent. I am very gratified to read this tribute in memoriam for Professor Awoonor.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo tragic...my heart is so heavy for all who suffered. Thanks for your beautiful tribute.
ReplyDeleteYour sorrowful words are beautiful, Kodjo. Thank you for sharing them and the tribute you have given.
ReplyDeleteOh my this would be a very dark day indeed.
ReplyDeleteMay he be welcomed home by our Heavenly Father.
ReplyDeleteInspired
ReplyDeleteA beautiful tribute to a wonderful man ... beautifully written
ReplyDeletewell written tribute to a Great Sun of the Soil. I had the opportunity to attend a creative writing workshop that Prof. Awonoor conducted here in Nairobi the day before religion took him away from us. He read his poems and you could hear birds singin along to tha great poet's voice. Wi will miss him so.
ReplyDeletewell written tribute to a Great Sun of the Soil. I had the opportunity to attend a creative writing workshop that Prof. Awonoor conducted here in Nairobi the day before religion took him away from us. He read his poems and you could hear birds singin along to tha great poet's voice. Wi will miss him so.
ReplyDelete