The Silent Thief Poem by priscah Mutswenje

Corruption creeps in corridors of power,
A silent serpent, soft yet sour.
It smiles like sunshine after rain,
Yet leaves behind a trail of pain.

It whispers in wallets, warm and wide,
Slides through files that officials hide.
Coins clink and contracts shrink,
Promises fade faster than ink.

Like termites chewing tender wood,
It gnaws the nation's common good.
Hospitals hollow, schools grow cold,
Dreams are bartered, cheaply sold.

Roads remain rough, medicines few,
Funds disappear as morning dew.
The poor grow poorer, patiently pleading,
While greedy hands keep feeding and feeding.

It builds big houses on broken backs,
Stacks of cash in secret sacks.
Ironically, the thief wears a tie,
Swears to serve, yet serves a lie.

Voices rise, yet rights are denied,
Truth is bruised and pushed aside.
Bribes bloom brightly in broad daylight,
Wrong wears white and calls it right.

We watch, we wait, we whisper, we weep,
While watchdogs meant to guard fall asleep.
The system sickens, slowly sinking,
Leaders looting, little ones shrinking.

Corruption is cancer, cruel and cold,
A story of silver sold for gold.
Until we stand, united and strong,
The silent thief will sing its song.

But hope hums softly in honest hearts,
Change can come when courage starts.
Let justice rise like rising sun,
And chase the thief until it's done.