Poem #1288: Hand From A Stranger

Please donate. Click the link: World Food Program

This ain't no fairytale

But it does make

The dam break

It's the stuff you see

On CNN and BBC

And flip the channel

Before it gets too personal

We can't back down

From this urgency of now

We've got to man up,

We that love to love

Must mobilize as one

Against the elements of war

By wielding the weapon

Of compassion

From our heart of hearts

Until we tear apart

The memory of the past

A bit of love turns misery

Into the processing

Of a beautiful story

Like a warm hand

From a stranger

In the dark of night,

Be the shining light

In their turnaround moment

A shade of hope, a respite

From the cruel torment.

Akpan 

Poem #1280: Crisis Rising

Seven years of war in Yemen and still no respite in sight.
Photo Courtesy: UNHCR

Seven years

Of depravity

An ocean of tears

Riven by famine

A land gone to hell

In a food basket

We forget to yell

Out casket after casket

From Yemen

Yeah men

War sprouts

Like stamen

We lost count

Of children

Starved to death

Hopelessly left

To die slow

Like a butterfly

Lured by ember glow

Distance blurs gory sights

As millions alive

Face same fate

That erased a wasted race

Love can revive

The deadest thing

And keep hope alive

If we let our hearts be

Led into an awakening

Of fiery empathy.

Akpan

Long Lasting Love

Courtesy: pbs.org

If we'd step way back

Like a throwback

If we could lay back

In the eternal arms of love

And all was well with the world.

If we adopt peace

As a product of justice,

If we toss in a piece

Till wrath is appeased

And end violence on our streets,

Identify the enemy,

The bombsight of the beast

We gon' solve this chemistry,

Unmask the poltergeist.

If we trade the noise

For the sound of one voice,

We'll elect a golden choice,

Defeat this pandemic

And obtain victory that's epic.

Let the lifeline

Pay out like

A bust of fresh lime,

Quit chasing the dime,

It makes you a ball of slime.

If love is your pantomime

Then your life will rhyme.

Be Love, it ain't a crime

Hate's a greater pandemic

Wreaking worse ill than Covid

That's wasting millions, it's pathetic.

So step back

Lend a helping hand

To folks on your path

See if it don't come back.

Akpan

Lovin' Can't Wait

1 in 8 Yemenis is displaced.
1 in 5 Yemenis children is malnourished.
Your support and little donation will help change
their story.
Click: UNHCR

Love won't let us wait

Love full of prospect and gay

Love that turns

The blinded eye

Away from the big lie

To affirm the conundrum

Pasted to the sky.

Love that forgives all

Love that marches onward

Until its work is done

Love that bulldozed a way

Thru the waste place

To hand the desolate

A soul-lifting ray,

Love won't let us wait.

Love will lift the weight

Off the shoulders

Of every one of 'em displaced,

Love will fight hunger,

Love will comfort the dying,

Love will defend the weak.

Love won't let us wait.

Love will make haste

And will not delay.

Love will fill the basket

Within the poverty bracket,

To ridicule the casket,

Broker peace, silence the racket.

Love delivers on a promise

When there's nothing left to give,

Love will make it make sense

In the midst of violence.

Love will speak out

In the streets,

Pump the volume out loud

For men turned victims.

And love

This time love,

Knows that Yemen can't wait,

Love won't let us wait.

Akpan

Sheaves

Photo Courtesy: UNHCR (@refugees)

I have hope

In the salvation of Yemen

I have hope

That it's gon' ripen like stamen

I see 'em transforming caskets

Into abundant food baskets.

I Believe in a second coming,

I believe in second wind,

Joy comes in the morning

Yemen's fields are turning green.

We go with them bearing seeds

Sowing their tomorrow's in grief

Doubtless coming again with rejoicing

Bringing in the sheaves.

I have hope

That as they climb this steep slope

They gon' be handed a lifeline,

A life-saving rope

That keeps their mission in line.

I have a living hope

That today and for always,

Yemen will dwell in plenty.

Thank God for the Happy Days.

Hand-in-hand we'll arrive

At that destination full of hope

Hope springing high

Hope that keeps on gifting hope.

Akpan

Diamond Against Wood

Courtesy: unhcr.org

Gather some hoes 'round here, man,

We're about to crack down on this famine.

Break up the fallow ground in Yemen

And only a fool argues with his tools,

Com'on and till the soil as we go farming.

Bring these refugees some refuge.

Let's pool our resources

Get this land flowing with milk and honey;

Break the lack, send some stack of food

Or brother, just pump the money.

This is diamond against wood,

This dilemma is getting whooped.

If we put our backs to the grind,

And keep staying on our grind,

We'll bring salvation

Back to Yemen.

And right there's our commission

Cause we y'all God's children.

Akpan