Poetry Corner: Bowing Out…And Bowing In 

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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

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