We Were Sold A Lie. Poem by Tony Ogunlowo

We Were Sold A Lie.

Rating: 5.0


It could have been a scene right out of Animal Farm
our wannabe leaders mounted the podium
and their sweet eulogies carried us all away
they were going to correct the wrongs of the past,
they were going to build schools and hospitals,
they were going to make sure everybody was gainfully employed.
We cheered and cheered until we could cheer no more
Finally we could see light at the end of our dark tunnel
Moses' had arrived in our lives to lead us to the Promised Land.

When the votes were counted
our current leaders were driven from the throne
and our comrades, our elected ones ascended
our joy knew no boundaries
our own on the throne?
We celebrated for many a day and many a night
their powerful eulogies fanning us on.

But we still had to work hard to get to the Promised Land
and work we worked from sunrise to sundown
toiling and toiling, never once complaining
for the harvest would all be ours
we could see a comfortable future
and like Boxer we laboured on.

It must have been something in the Palace water
- or the food they were served
for our comrades - our leaders
suddenly started to metamorphose
into our former bourgeois taskmasters
their speeches became fewer
as their waistlines grew bigger
they re-introduced the whip as punishment
and our rations grew smaller
we worked through siesta
and no longer had days off.

In a move that surprised us all
our comrade-leaders
installed themselves as emperors
and we were made to bow down
and kiss their feet
we were now their serfs
and would do as they say.

Thursday, October 12, 2017
Topic(s) of this poem: politics
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Kumarmani Mahakul 12 October 2017

This is amazing and thought provoking political poem shared here.10

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