Three Poems
By Kwabena Agyare Yeboah
Sunday, October 13, 2013.
WHEN AFRICA IS DEFINED
There is a place
Where warmth greets
On Mahogany’s greatness
In a swift flow
And a swing low
Nations arise
Beyond the known
Harmattan telephones autumn
In attempt to patch the torn
Yet the ignorant boasts
Pointing to what is on screen
And/ or a read from the native
Present in absence
The exiled defines Africa
In a page-woven-imagery
Then the sorry face is fooled
To hand a penny
Or more
So mailboxes will be full
In a leaking conscience
Africa’s definition
Is herself
Not my words
Nor hers . . . nor his
BEAUTY IN THE WOODS
The breath of today sits
In an array of the sun;
The chirping of the parrots
Plays melodies of old
From this glorious footpath
A heaven is opened
Fragrance of nature dumbfounds
Clouds gather and dance
To the voice of the wind
The amicable swift of the stream touches
The leaves guffaw here
Dwelling of trees read perfect on skins
Of nostalgic sweetness
Freshness stitches memories
I SPEAK TO A NATION
Their Moses came, yes
But not with Canaan
The prophet came, yes
But not with the message
I speak to a nation
The sound of life
Is listened to
In the silence of death
On a drowsy night
That searched for her moon
I speak to a nature
A mighty arm is broken
In the walk to freedom
The motherland’s virginity
Is defiled by the thoughts
Of her own
And her innocence is humiliated
Murderous rage burnt veins
And killed the sparkle in the eyes
Truth is being held on trial
And nakedness is no shame
Rot has found home
As praises are showered
On her
Let the listening heart hear
And the willing hands walk the dream
I speak to a nation
Kwabena
Agyare Yeboah studies Biochemistry at Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology,Kumasi, Ghana. His works have been published by
Poetry Foundation Ghana and Scribbled Poetry. He recently contributed to
an international anthology that explores the theme of slavery and
romance, ”Breaking Silence” (2013). Kwabena believes Africa’s story can
be told well by Africans, and he aspires to do this perfectly.