The Year 1969 Poem by Babatunde Aremu

The year was 1969
There was hurlyburly in our land
Battle for the nation's soul raged
Papa gazed in the future
Mama concurred to papa's wish
Pronto, I was shepherd like a lamb
Into the four corners of a building
And enrolled as a disciple of western education
There I mingled with other children
To learn alphanumeric
My traditional regalia
Transmuted to brown short and blue shirt
With my portmanteau of my head daily
I learnt the art of the whites
My tongue changed from Yoruba to English
For I was forbidden from speaking 'vernacular'
Suddenly, I am changed from black to white
From village to city
1969 changed me for ever
The year changed me
The year made me