PHARAOH

We are not a country of the blind
for you to be so unkind
and unleash flawed wisdom
of the fabled one-eyed king.
We know what you will bring,
another season of pestilence.

Your promised second coming
and uncouth planning,
is insult to hurts
from excruciating first coming.

We are not a country of the blind,
tolerance is no longer our virtue,
endurance has reached breaking point,
hindsight has steeled our resolve.

O gap-toothed Pharaoh,
watch my people boldly go
beyond the reach of tyranny.

O gap-toothed Pharaoh
stay in your castle on the hill,
lay in laps of the brazen lady,
swim in pool of sordid loot,
feast on menu of memories,
drown in red sea of regrets.
We do not give a hoot
for your false love song,
hindsight has opened our eyes,
pain has made us strong.

O gap-toothed Pharaoh,
we are not a country of the blind.

© Emman Usman Shehu

*First published in The Sun, Lagos, Nigeria, on Sunday 30 July; Reproduced with permission