Kofi Awoonor (Song Of Sorrow) Poem by African Poetry

Kofi Awoonor (Song Of Sorrow)

Rating: 4.2


Dzogbese Lisa has treated me thus

It has led me among the sharps of the forest

Returning is not possible

And going forward is a great difficulty

The affairs of this world are like the chameleon faeces

Into which I have stepped

When I clean it cannot go.



I am on the world's extreme corner,

I am not sitting in the row with the eminent

But those who are lucky

Sit in the middle and forget

I am on the world's extreme corner

I can only go beyond and forget.



My people, I have been somewhere

If I turn here, the rain beats me

If I turn there the sun burns me

The firewood of this world

Is for only those who can take heart

That is why not all can gather it.

The world is not good for anybody

But you are so happy with your fate;

Alas! the travelers are back

All covered with debt.



Something has happened to me

The things so great that I cannot weep;

I have no sons to fire the gun when I die

And no daughter to wail when I close my mouth

I have wandered on the wilderness

The great wilderness men call life

The rain has beaten me,

And the sharp stumps cut as keen as knives

I shall go beyond and rest.

I have no kin and no brother,

Death has made war upon our house;



And Kpeti's great household is no more,

Only the broken fence stands;

And those who dared not look in his face

Have come out as men.

How well their pride is with them.

Let those gone before take note

They have treated their offspring badly.

What is the wailing for?

Somebody is dead. Agosu himself

Alas! a snake has bitten me

My right arm is broken,

And the tree on which I lean is fallen.



Agosi if you go tell them,

Tell Nyidevu, Kpeti, and Kove

That they have done us evil;

Tell them their house is falling

And the trees in the fence

Have been eaten by termites;

That the martels curse them.

Ask them why they idle there

While we suffer, and eat sand.

And the crow and the vulture

Hover always above our broken fences

And strangers walk over our portion.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Patricia Grantham 19 April 2013

A very heart wrenching poem. It is a true fact of life that things can be good for some and rough for others. Things will be better some day. Don't give up hope. A nice write.

8 1 Reply
Babatunde Aremu 10 May 2013

Life is in a state of opposites. Where ever u find yrself never give up. Nice poem

8 1 Reply
Ezekiel Arthur 07 January 2014

Truly this reflect what he foresaw- -that there was a coming day where prophecy would be fulfilled...his death has been the fulfillment of this masterpiece

7 0 Reply
Gaius Gbeti Kafui 11 October 2013

Incredibly awesome......i atually love reading his works...may his soul rest in perfect peace

5 0 Reply
Ransome Adejugbe 14 July 2015

I read this poem in pain, But so much I gain. By faith, Africa will rise from grass To grace. Amen!

4 0 Reply
Emmanuel Joseph Olumakiss 21 November 2021

A poignantly poem embedded with sorrow and solitary. my love for this great poem song of sorrow and the poet Kofi Awoonor can't be overemphasized.

0 0 Reply
Mike 13 May 2021

It's a traditional dirge, dicpicted by imagery. So interesting!

0 0 Reply
MB sadeeq 10 December 2020

So sad

0 0 Reply
Hannatu Adamu 19 October 2020

Very good employment of imagery!

1 0 Reply
singeh Cyril fonyuy 02 February 2020

I enjoy reading your peom congrats and we need more

0 0 Reply
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