Sunday Challegne - Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka

 

Morning had Risen

 

Morning had risen, now the long drive home

Thinking of the night just ended, futile

Futility, chasing demons away

 Rats crawled on his skin, up and down his legs

 

Love of country made him brave but what for

Night after night sleep came in small pieces

Awake for hours, solitary thoughts

Reeking damp hole, months were years, days no end

 

He'd stopped and wretched his gutty green again

Like in the night last night, drinks were too much

Empty his soul, get rid of those monsters

Made him bleed and cry.  And yell, days of old 

 

War had ended but not over for him

The why of last night.  Liquor was flowing

Loud music to make ones forget their day

It didn't work for him, the rats still crawled

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 Photos and Poem Copyright, ©  2015 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

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 Tonight I'm writing for  Heaven at

The Real Toads, Sunday's Mini-challenge: Wole Soyinka

 

I am also linking with Kerry O'Connor at

The Real Toads, The Tuesday Platform

 

 - There she told of  the African poet, Wole Soyinka.  Soyinka was an activist in the fight against Nigerian tyrannical rule after their independence from Britain. 

In 1967 he was arrested for writings sympathetic to secessionist Biafra and was imprisoned for twenty-two months.

 

 - We were to read a poem, or more, of his and write what came to mind.  Soyinka's poem, "In the Wee Hours" (link), and "Dedication" (link) were fodder for what I wrote.  Also Wikipedia and Heaven's write-up about Wole Soyinka gave me more insight. 

 

 - You might wish to read a little his works or more about him from these links.

 

 - Dr. Leeds is 80 years old and has written and taught for most of his life.  He holds honorary doctorates from Leeds, Harvard, and Princeton.  In 1986 Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

 

 - Another 'Brief Bio' and links to a couple other of his poems are here.

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