Poetry Corner: The family affair 

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poetry corner

That day was a day of joy for Kwesi Kuma

As the first from the Yalley family

To excel in the general examinations

As the first from the village of Nsempoa

To gain admission into a university

Not his joy only

All Nsempoa and Yalley basked in the glory

 

Joy would soon give way to reality

Joy would soon choke on the reality…of that admission opportunity

For an offer to attend a university

Would come with an order to pay before an entry

This reality dawned on all as the days approached…hastily

 

Nsempoa and Yalley would soon live up to that reality

A village and a family would soon respond to a call to duty

If the young Yalley would rise to bring glory

Ought not all be part of the story…in a hurry?

 

With gracious generosity

The family of Yalley responded to the clarion call

Straining every sinew to help one of their own…to answer to a higher call

 

Kojo Yalley was ready to open his palms

With a promise of yields from a quarter of his palm plantation

Next was Kobina Yalley

He charged his farm hands to harvest all ripened fruits in his orchard

With all its cedi proceeds planted in Kwesi Kuma’s account

Then it was the turn of Kweku Yalley

His entire yield from his cocoa field he pledged

Ekow Yalley donated some fat cows

So did Kofi Yalley with some poultry, some fowls

Even Kwamina Yalley, the palm wine tapper…planned to give some fresh wine

So Kwesi Yalley, Kuma’s own father…had no reason to keep his barn of yams till the next famine

The chief of Nsempoa had the town-crier

Cry for a village to supplicate for divine hand of support

 

Thus Kwesi Kuma commenced and completed

Completed and earned high academic laurels

On his way to the highest of pinnacles

Kwesi Kuma knew the hands that were lifted for support

By village and family was the miracle

The miracle that pushed him up the social ladder

He knew a position up the executive ladder

Was a few stepping stones away

He knew he would be flying higher and higher

 

Now that Nsempoa and Yalley had their heart’s wish

It was time to reap from hands that sowed seeds to clinch a wish

It was time to leap from hands that sow seeds

To heads that learn to use a head to push a wish

It was time to retrieve seeds sown in a son so cherished

A son so established in the big city

A son so destined to be wealthy

 

Kojo Yalley was ready to reap the first fruits

His youngest son in basic school must attend a better school

That son must be somebody in future

Just like Kwesi Kuma

“Your uncle, Kwesi Kuma is somebody today

If you don’t know, I made him what he is today

My palm plantation was bearing  fruits of my labour

Then he had to go to a big school in the big city”

 

Kwesi Kuma was woken up in the morning…to welcome two visitors from Nsempoa

Kojo Yalley’s mission was straight and simple

“My son has a big head to learn all the big things

But his teachers at Nsempoa are lazy

His mates at school are crazily devilish

Send him to a big school

He can learn big things”

 

That is when Kobina Yalley also delivered his nephew to Kwesi Kuma

And Kweku Yalley ordered his niece to pack to the big city

Ekow Yalley hauled his cousin onto the next watonkyene

Kofi Yalley shipped his daughter to land safe and sound

Kwamina Yalley, the palm wine tapper sent his stepson

The chief of Nsempoa decided Kwesi Kuma must help the most brilliant pupil in the village

In jealous anger

Kwesi Yalley, Kuma’s own father

Dispatched the rest of his children

 

Now that Nsempoa and Yalley had their heart’s wish

To reap where they collectively sowed seeds

It was time for Kwesi Kuma to sow seeds of daily anguish

Now in the midst of Starlets ’91

He was saddled with serious money matters

His only option was to play it rough…hard in muddy money waters

In the midst of huge daily expenses

Kwesi Kuma dipped his fingers deep

Deep into the consolidated pot of the Land

 

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