Tsala e ya nnete tota
E lerato le popota
Ga e go bone makoa
Ga e go tsenye ka sekgwa.

Fa lefatshe le tlhanoga
Le ditshotlo di tlhatloga
O mongwe fela yo o gomotsang
Ke tsala e e go ratang.

Tsala ya maaka, ramatlhajana
Tsamaya le ena nakonyana
Melato a ka e go bolaisa
Fa go buiwa o a itshegisa.

O go tsenya mo kotsing
A go potise ka fa mosing,
Le phepa la gagwe leina
O le tlhatswitse la wena.

Botsala jwa nnete
Ga bo tlhwatlhwa e bokete
Bo rekwa ka setshego
Le lerato la tlholego.

while humanity lay sleeping
a subtle sound came creeping
a tiny muffled murmur
of the drums  

it crept into our valley
a quiet distant sally
the reverberating tapping
of the drums

oh the drums drums drums
foretell the things to come
the tapping beat calls
hearts and minds to stir

awakened from dear sleep
we discern the growing creep
the mounting host of warriors
tramping on
      
the fifers next came peeling
the swooning mass was kneeling
the flash of brass and horns
enthralled us all

the salute of rifles thundered
leaving all of us to wonder
what this show of force
would mean for you and me

oh the drums drums drums
the flash and crack of guns
the might and mien of country
on display

yes we howl a raucous cheer
as we shout we raise a beer
the march of shock and awe
is on its way

the thundering timpani                                  
soul of a nation's symphony
united in common purpose
all in step

pressing on to foreign fields
with armies, tanks and shields
we offer sons and daughters
to the lords of war

sleek missiles flew and flashed
buildings crumble and crash
the righteous right of the stronger
proved again

but blood will wash the ground
wails of mourning will sound
dead soldiers and civilians
on all sides

percussive cannon blasts
bursts eardrums kills you fast
the awful smashing and the
bashing of the bombs

the popping flap of flags
assure a profiteers swag
much riches to be made
through the spoils of war

filthy lucre that is earned
the value of life is spurned
hoards of begotten treasure
condemns its lord

so spend it if you must
for your gold will turn to rust
and dust to dust your
soul shall return

oh the drums drums drums
calls our sisters and our sons
to step and march along
a deathly roll

constant war begets a madness
unhealed wounds endless sadness
friends and lovers sadly perish
families destroyed

oh the drums drums drums
once so stirring like a sun
the rattling snare of drumsticks
a hissing asp

oh the drums drums drums
we whistle through our gums
past the midnight graveyards
hallowed for our youth

so listen for the drums
the droning of the guns
stand firm for peace
and walk its blessed way

or you can yell yell yell
marching onward straight to hell
where death will greet you
with the devils kiss

he’ll sing you bitter taps
the music that entraps
and commends the young
to the wretched earth

or play Djembe for peace
witness all conflict cease
bongo bops for peace
may it always increase

yes the drums drums drums
the resounding joyful strums
a mirthful dance of peace
may it always increase

so play Djembe for peace
our song will never cease
our dance will be
a whirling prayer of grace

Music Selection:
Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, Zombie

jbm
3/9/12
Oakland

They are our fathers,
Our freedom fighters,
Our Obama's,

Legends, representing from dangerous eras

Radical views coming through the radio,
Soldiers respond whipping up on Fela

Nelson reaches for freedom,
seducing souls like an acapella
Rebuilding community in a peace concert jamming to Marley
Dim Ojukwu waves the flag, a call to the Biafran army,
The King recites the dream to a million African souls in the rally
Malcolm raises a fist to the world, our time will not be buried.

In the struggle to change the status quo,
The fight to turn the table,
Against odds they were able
Will legends become myths and fable's?
Heroes, villains or rebels?
How they portray them,
Watch closely on the cable

To be number one becomes a dream
But who pulls the puppet dancing on the strings?

the media working on the mind,
Like a snakes charm in a seduction,
Venomous schemes to cover the deception,

Poverty, crime and death with no resurrection
Greed's the genesis of all corruption,
Where is our revolution?

From the birth of the king to his crucifixion.
Love and sacrifice are his religion.
Yet examples like him become outcasts before they realize their vision

it wasn't like we didn't know what was right or wrong
but sitting under abandoned structures at two in the morning,
talking about work, money and betrayal felt like neither.

i held the big bottle of beer for the first time
while stretching it out to her.
"Add ciga join oga", was her next response.
so i pulled it out from inside the pack. her pack.

"who you be? you be pastor?
why you come? you dey n.g.o?
abi you dey dea dey form good boy
siddon dea!"

so she blew out some smoke from her mouth,
blew what was left out of her nostrils
took another sip from the green bottle
some spilling off the side of her mouth
she scratched her back and waited for the next line

we managed to talk about what we did in the day.
i, a popular janitor, for better job to hang on to.
she, trader in Brazilian hair, owed by all her friends.
but i admitted being jobless at night
while she pleased other men for cash.

so she blew out some smoke from her mouth,
blew what was left out of her nostrils
took another sip from the green bottle
some spilling off the side of her mouth
she scratched her back and waited for the next line

"teach me facebook", she said
putting the sudden silence to shame.
so i grabbed her phone with in disgust,
but with plenty of curiosity,
while wondering what i was doing here.
"na ikenna send me dis fone"

so she shows me ikennas picture.
a young man with another woman beside her.
i quickly flipped through other pictures and messages.
some were about fights, some about clubs,
the others about robberies.

she blew out some smoke from her mouth,
i stand to go. so she asks, 'you go come shrine,
fela shrine tomorrow?'
with a smile only familiar friends can read, i accepted.

afterwards, she told the security men to let me go.
'na my friend'. a wicked smile scratched on the faces
of these men who stood for balogun street's security.
and we were friends. familiar friends.

many months have passed,
i blow the heat from my lungs with a sigh
i scratched my back and wait for this memory to erase.
what was i doing there?

create a golden route for a poet like me,
let the embodiment of song carved itself
in the palms of the world beyond till lyrics
of faith light to ease the thought of my mind.
If you die before me, tell papa not to cry.
the shrine he left in my hand is still well
planted in the imaginations of his generations.

tell Fela &Giwa that Nigeria is no better,
tell Chinua Achebe that the water in our
throat cries of dry ground they stepped on.
we may not be a better cinematographer
capturing the deeds of this land but your
still photos can crop some timelines to go
with you till I come along to join your trail.

if you die before me, send a word across.
let me know the existence of heaven & hell
if Shakespeare & Okigbo & Buchi are there
so I can change course to path my emotion,
the artistic photography of the tales of hell
are the codeine conscience of anxiety in us.
we die before the masquerade halt in the air.

Husky tears would I drop on your grave
to be taken to Mandela & Luther King.
there are roses I will take from the clay ***
Of my father to your graveyard to give to Ify
my hearted lover in the morning of miracles.
if you die before me, this tattered call would
I make to our ancestors for a perfect survival.

this land is a disco dance hall you must tell
Yar'du of Fate & tears crossing our eyes
in a patterned way to be christened life's joy.
this land is a feminist like Chimamanda A.N,
this country is a pun star you must tell Ken.
tell my cousin Ezekiel to wait for me longer,
I am coming. to join him in benedicted rein of
our country.

If you die before me, I'll be on your graveyard
for a life time cracking up the foundation of
the world to find death. I will ask him if the
other phase is  better than here before coming.
suffering is not meant to be dreamed twice,
Two week-ed weaknesses are the wink wires
connecting our lives in a radioed embryo .

this is my recap
a captured scene
Let's bake life and dreams
till death call us all to himself
then the world becomes empty
love finds love mingling in hands...
die before me & be my eyes beyond.


©John Chizoba Vincent
FromAPenRefusingfrustration.

Long time ago, they left the  boundaries
Like an eagle from afar, they sight our mysteries
In the system, they saw mismanagement within
They robbed their way in
They killed their fellow uniform man eventually
And the cycle continues circularly
Civilians pursued
Powers misused
Purpose is defeated

We have formally forgotten those days
When virtues of peace were promoted with violence
When the press were oppressed
When justice was jeopardized
When our constitution was constrained to contempt without conscience
When the scales were afraid of scary blood, but love printed papers
When the beaks of singing parrots were broken
When religious teachers were treated rigorously
Purpose is defeated

Purpose came again
Our uniform men are well informed
But they are not well equipped
A great battalion with good  training
Against that without training
A great battalion with pieces of metal
Against that with powerful machines
Ready but not resourceful
Purpose is defeated

No longer dying for the nation
Lets bring down those rebels
A call of duty to the north
They respond with gallant boots and courage
They respond with pieces of metal on their hands
They respond to a place where many have fallen
Even at that, they fought gallantly
They were made to improvise arms
Purpose is defeated

They return with blood stained boots, hands and courage
Their faces and pieces of metal looking down
They have fought a good fight
But sorrow lurks around our families
Women now widows
Offsprings now orphans  
Uncle died as one of them
Father retired as one of them
Pension still on attention, no ease?
Purpose is defeated

Purpose is here again
Retreat!  Retreat!!  Retreat!!!
Fela Kuti sang 'Zombie! '
Check point checking for phone users
****** civilians!  Dont make a call here!
Sheep flogged, goats flee
They get recruited just for revenge
Purpose is defeated

Purpose is here again today
Where natural death is rare
People are killed
People are killing
People are on their way to ****
Cows are chewing crops
Crops are chewing cows
This is not normal!
Purpose is defeated.

©Kporho Vwede Daniel
(a.k.a. General Ali official)

They asked me if I was planning to stay with you forever
And I told them music is eternal
And playing this tune will be reminding me of you
You're like Fela Kuti and Salif Keita on a mixtape
Or Stevie Wonder and Smokie Robinson on Def Jam auto tune
You're my music
And as I am about to give highest accolade to essence of being and balance
Bear with me
Sit still as I take you to depths where oceans of lyric and rhyme
Are brought down by tide
Into this slowly throbbing heart
And the music of the sun
Is made clear in the reflection of our eyes
I can see the notes dancing
Like ecstasies aroused by the kicks and snares of an old school beat
Like messages found in a calypso
Dance with me
Remind me like the rhythm of the night that you'll last forever
And the streaks of light from dawn shan't be seen
Till I nestle in thine arms
So play me the dead man's tune
You're my music.

Oh! Africa!
Let me tell you
About my dearest Africa
The cradle of human civilization
The land of wonders!

Undoubtedly, the second most populous
Of all the continents
Where Gazzeles run to survive
And Lions pursue to feed
In a battle of survival

Let me tell you about Africa
Covering six percent of earths surface
Home to Nelson Mandela
And greats like Fela Anikulapo Kuti

But for Ethiopia and Liberia
We were all colonised
Introduced to foreign gods and culture
In all these occurrence
We never forgot Africa!

170millon of us speak Arabic
130million speak French
With over 2000 different languages
We are the kings of diversity

Let me tell you about Africa
Where we hold the ace
As the hottest continent on earth
Surely, a noble bragging right!

Go back to your history books
Let's set the record straight
Africa is not a country
Neither do we live on trees
It is a blessed and peculiar continent

Let me tell you about Africa
Where our only problem is governance
And corruption reigns supreme
Oh! Africa! My Africa!

Wait a second!
Are you planning a getaway?
Visit the Omo River in Ethiopia
The birthplace of Emperor Halie Selasie

Would you like to track Gorillas?
Then would love it
The Virunga Mountains of DR Congo
It is worth all your penny

The breathe taking scenery
That Zanzizar offers
Will make you relocate to Africa
Surely we are
The real Ministers of Enjoyment

If you want a birds view
Of our beautiful continent
Make it to the tallest mountain in Africa
Mountain Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
It stands at 19,340feet

Kenya reminds you of nature
Cape Town, our most beautiful City
The Mummies and Pyramids of Egypt
And the delicacies of Calabar, Nigeria

It is appointed to die once
But before you do
Visit our beautiful continent
Your life will never remain the same
That your education may be complete
And I hope this inspires you!