There was a time when
all times looked the same
passing through seamless
dawn of ageless drain
We sought, fought and
bought our freedom for an ageless price
At a pace that dares not to take away our
endangered race
But what have brought
this craze of dismembering
the maze we felt less safe in.

The incorruptible men who
once calmed the storm
are now cohorts of a demeaning plot.
Their role in a war of stakes
is a gusty grab for the frontline
as they tussle for the ratio of cake
a game they so delight in.
Exhausted in a place which
was once a timeless haven
as their dignity is torn in shreds.
All sorts of glory are lost
still no one feels this is a shared shame.

If only we knew the journey would abort halfway
but the signs were like flare from the start
as sides became drawn in clear spat.
Two hundred and more of our “prized cowries”
got snatched from our land and our leaders
cannot guard our streets because they say
the times are bad and the enemies are back.
Everything get soured and some of us are left behind
as limbs are severed high into the firmament of red horror
We go hash with our tag
twitting and chanting that they restore our girls
bring back our girls-we pray
bring back our girls- we chant
Bemused, the soldiers assure to search our lands
While Boko bomb us out from our very own sands
Tangled, mangled, limbs and bodies get buried in our time.


© Chijioke Izundu P

It was just a normal school day,
And we were going out to play,
When those men armed with guns,
Took us away from the bright sun.

They took us to a camp,
A place lit with only a lamp,
When those men armed with guns,
Took us away from the bright sun.

We sat there like dogs,
In rows like peas in pods,
When those men armed with guns,
Took us away from the bright sun.

So please help us in anyway you can,
Such as posting on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram,
Make our smiles shine out like pearls,
By adding the #BringBackOurGirls

Like crystal sand pebbles
Washed away from seashore
Like shooting stars in space
Propelled out of the night sky

Our beautiful black pearls
Young and innocent and ambitious
Full of life, full of tomorrow
Were stolen away in daylight
Away from unnatural habitats
Away from unsafe clusters
Away from our sleepy watchful eyes
Loosing their buoyancy
To the same fearsome monsters
That have plagued the land much
Bursting balloons at parties
Bringing mayhem as they visit
Making our warriors look childish
Forcing help from the world over.

The sun has gone to sleep
The moon has loomed too long
But to hope, we will cling
Till we find our lost pebbles…


© Raphael Uzor

276
Young schoolgirls
Who just wanted to learn.

Taken under our noses
By evil men
Threatening to sell them to slavery
Because they don't believe they deserve an education.

276
Lives unaccounted for
Let the world search for these women
Let them stay strong

Give them a chance, Heaven
These girls are unsafe because of the beliefs of madmen
Don't let the villains win this time because there are

276
Young women
Afraid for their lives
A life of oppression looms over them
Their innocence so white, it's blinding
Bring them back

Fate?
Are you listening?
Spin your silver thread with care
And good toward these beauties
Sew a story with a happy ending
Because they need it
We want our girls back

Bring back our girls, **** it.




Bring back our girls.

Would you have
     our stars not shine?
Would you have darkness
      be your shrine?

r ~ 5/5/14

Dear 'luck,
Sometimes I wonder how those girls feel
How their goodluck turned around
It's like running on banana peels
Keepfalling, can't even get up
The key is in the sea, someone changed our luck :(
Cos this isn't the guy we all trusted to change our walks
It's funny how $12 could buy a life
And N2000 can buy a wife
A child is supposed to think of getting grown
And not wearing a wedding gown
You call yourselves the govern-ment so do what you're meant to do
Cos I'm a believer that you can deliver our innocent people.