50 Shades Of Tigray

Nigsty, an Ethiopian refugee who
ran to Sudan while pregnant. 
Courtesy: UNHCR

Updated: January 6th, 2021, 09:20AM

Here I am

Dabbing 50 shades of Tigray

With rapid strokes teasing dark clouds pregnant

Banishing every promise of sunray.

I'm painting my story

On a easel for display

In the soul's gallery

Fine-tuning the horror to bright as day:

Three labored days on the road to Sudan

An expecting, hungry and haunted mother

Prayed, “God, keep my baby in,

Until I set foot in an inn

Even if it's one with the windows punched in.”

Soon Nigsty mothered her daughter

And said, “my hope is that my baby

Can return home safely.”

Up there against the lighter shade is Ngesti

A refugee scholar

Turned teacher in a strange land

Honing her skills making kids young scholars.

You can almost hear that lil homs

Whisper, “I miss home.”

Yesterday, Tsige had a heartful of hope

Today, she sleeps on bare ground

Without a change of wardrobe;

She told her fam they had to ditch town

Dreams of a better life,

Her children's higher education all left behind.

Higher up on the canvas

The picture starts to fade

But alas!

Tigray's skyline is a firework of gray.

Akpan