To My Kinsmen Poem by Francis Kokutse

What wrong have we children of Ekpo done
that the journey that others take days
have become years for us?

The glory that Ekpo was once painted
has turned to insults from the clans
whose venom are poured as from a viper,
continue to fall on us for no reason.

Was it not Ekpo who captured the men from
the far land that had come to conquer?
grandfather, son of Ekpo died in war
on a day that others refused to come out
and l remember that well because l
carried his snuff box when he went to fight.

Tell me, my kinsmen,
has anyone gone to do what
must not be done in the clan?

Why is that we have become
jokes for even men who cannot
stand in front of their wives to talk?

There must be something that we should
do to come out of this filth that has engulfed us
and we must do it collectively to remove
the shame that we carry as if we
have removed out clothes in the market place.