He Died Defending Truth, Now Truth Never Dies Poem by Tony Cemaluk

He died defending truth,
In planting season,1974.
Forty-one years, so strong, so true,
Eze Malukwuo Okwe!

He saw what was wrong,
And refused to look away.
He spoke in the gathering,
And paid the supreme price.

No hospital, no long goodbye,
Just like that and then silence.
But his last words were trust,
'She will carry the children.'

They thought truth would be buried,
With him in red earth next day.
They thought the name would scatter,
They thought the line would fade.

But truth does not rot,
Truth does not die.
You bury a man,
You cannot bury why.

From one-room store, his wife planted,
From six-year-old tears, his son rose.
The seed of 1974,
Has become a forest that grows.

He died defending truth,
Now truth never dies!
CEMALUK, husband and wife fused into one,
A name with clean beginning,
A name based on truth and honor.
In CEMALUK, his name resets,
In FOUR D his legacy lives,
In every scholar, he multiplies.

EzeMalukwuo Okwe!
Eze Amalukwu Oju!
If you spoke truth, he agreed,
If not, he never bowed!

He died defending truth,
Now truth has a Trust.
Now truth has a compound,
Now truth has a deed that must.

Papa, your harvest has come.
- Your son, Tony Cemaluk Egbuonu