We Come From the Future
Poetry…
Books, Imaginations and Ecological Liberation
“…all classical traditions of world literature are fostered by environments where there are intensive struggles against great evils for the restoration of human dignity.” – G. G. Darah, “Revolutionary Pressures in …
Time to Build Solidarity, not Walls
I thank the Chancellor and President, and the entire family of York University for the great honour being extended to me today. Being born at a time we were at the edge of breaking free from colonialism, the notion of i…
Choked by Convenience
Convenience and Greed The two thieves between whom We are nailed. Shall we forgive them Seeing they know exactly what they are doing? Held high as cheap Hoisted aloft as efficient We got enarmoured Denuded Spat upo…
Seducing the Bees
I watched your back as you danced The ripples of the beats pulsating in your swings Your dance trumps magic Your dance so intimate I watched your elegant steps as the drums called I watched as you danced between the irok…
This Hate Does not Define Us
Mangled ballot boxes Bloodied faces Headless goats Mouthy hoodlums in the corridors of power Burning votes define the Last (s)elections Yes the (s)election has come Yet refuses to go You are not us We are n…
By Me We Spoke
Stolen Across swollen waters To you, thousands of us were Pieces of wood, tusks, brass To tickle the fancies of heartless merchants and enablers of violence But you were wrong. A heist of brass and wood and ivory Murdero…
COP26: Injury Time
12 years ago We were already in Injury Time Fighting for a temperature target of 1C Today Nature has been patient enough So patient not to call off the game Though the ball has left the pitch Nature has given human…
Stilt Roots and Power
The vital place of the narrative strategy is in awakening memories and building consciousness for action. Over the past months we have experienced an evolving of our understanding of critical storytelling. We have seen t…
Who Says the Town Crier is Gone (The Life of Patrick Naagbanton)
“Who Says the Town Crier is Gone” is the title of a poem written by Styvn Obodoekwe in the poetry collection “Night has Come Again.” That collection is made of poems written at the passing of Patr…
Rainbows Through the Tears
It is exactly at a time when mass gravesLine the streets as grim markers of a stubborn invisible foe That we understand the need to appreciate little graces It is precisely at a time when we hug and even cry in pityThat …
In the rear views of life
Nostalgia, memories in the rear views of life Mirrors with many faces and dreams may be rife But focus on the perspective etched by the vista of converging parallels Know that though hopes, visions, dreams and paths ahea…
We Must Breathe Again
Social distances widen As physical distances shrink We saw this didn’t you As the knees of the murderous cops Dug into the neck and body of George Floyd I can’t breathe! As the fires flash As the bullets fly …
Welcome to the Age of Paradox
Welcome to the age of paradox Baskets over our mouths Masks on forlorn faces we march incognito Hopes bloom, blossom but long awaited fruits wither In storms and ambush at corners behind rusty barometers and wind vanes S…
I see the Invisible (Staying Closer Apart)
I see the invisible I see the invisible I hear the inaudible And I feel the intangible I’m everywhere in no time Floating on memories of strained futures Aloft on lofty hopes Sliding on rugged dreams in truncated nights…
