By Kwesi BISSUE
The years begin
And the years come to their end
Then the tables turn
The day when news of his death was heard
That same day it was when a new birth occurred
The day when his corpse mingled and mangled in a morgue
That same day a newborn stretched a full length in a cot
On the day the final rites bid him farewell
That same day a naming rite said welcome
When her first day began in a kindergarten
It was his first to begin in a tertiary
Her printed one plus one was her first written test
His project work would be his final testing case
The day she moved up to primary…from kindergarten
That day he moved away from tertiary…after graduating
Just when Mister and Missus
…were reviewing their notes of regrets
Just then Fiifi and Afi
…were lamenting their belated walk down the aisle
Just when Mister and Missus
…were reversing their vows
Just then Siisi and Esi
…were rehearsing their vows
Just when Mister and Missus
…were dissolving into a divorce
Just then Kwaku and Aku
…were resolving for better or for worse
On the occasion when Gbomobi ascended the presidency
In that moment Mokobi descended into obscurity
On the occasion when Asimasi won all that was at stake
In that moment Wogyafo lost all through some mistakes
On the occasion when Madiba became the most famous
In that moment Modibo turned infamously conspicuous
The years went by
The years ended
Then the tables turned
He ascended from obscurity
…onto the presidency
He descended from the presidency
…into obscurity
He won back all he had lost
And the pain was all in the past
Soon he lost all he had won
He counted the cost of his loss
As we bow out
Others bow in
And a generation comes and goes
As we clock in
Others clock out
And a generation goes and comes
In this theatre of time and space
So let reality remind us of our little foibles
Let humility hear us say, “we are all fallible”
None keeps standing
But let’s roll in our roles in ink indelible
Notwithstanding