Man Made Monster Poem by Tony Cemaluk

I did not curse them.
I did not hate them.
I only said it beforehand.
No, hold it there.
Don't cross the boundary.

I saw the rain,
Before the cloud gathered.
I saw the crack,
Before the wall fell.
I saw the fire,
Before the smoke rose.

I said, 'Brother, watch.'
I said, 'Sister, be careful.'
I said, 'Uto Nwanne, this road is not safe.'
This road will never make.
It will only mar Uto Nwanne.

They laughed.
They said I am too negative.
They said I am too bitter.
They had judged me already.
They said I am too shrouded in mystery.
Like unknown monster.

Then it happened.
Exactly as I said.
Exactly as I warned.
Exactly as I wrote.

And instead of saying,
'Thank you, you warned us, '
They said,
'How did you know? '

They called me monster.
Not because I caused it.
But because I said it beforehand.

A prophet is loved, hated or called monster in between.
Because they were too proud to heed the warning,
Of the looming rain.

I did not cause the rain.
I only carried umbrella.
I did not cause the fall.
I only saw the crack.

They called me monster,
Because truth came too early,
And their ears were too late.

I will still speak.
I will still warn.
I will still write beforehand.
If pride would allow them heed.

Call me monster if you want.
But when it happens again,
Remember Man made monster said it first.