photo by Alex Lear
CAN WE?
(for Ken Saro Wiwa)
1.
suppose
the thot
/police
took our words
seriously
treated us like the real po-po:
cut us down
on suspicion
of being
dangerous, just in case
we actually
are serious
2.
some of us forget
ken’s killers
were the folk
who threw fela’s mother
out the window
3.
a little while ago
i took a hot shower
was ken able to wash
before the hanging?
4.
everybody be talking abt
the morning after
what abt
the night before
any thots
on that?
5.
when i look into the mirror
of my life
experiences
do i see anything
that would lead me to believe
that i would be willing
to die for my beliefs?
6.
suppose
you had to take full
responsibility
for every word
you uttered
no matter how little
you meant it
“really, i was just joking around
i didn’t mean to tell the truth”
7.
can we
afford
not to be
serious?
can we?
can we be
like ken
saro wiwa was
strong
straight up
‘til
the end?
—kalamu ya salaam