Brako Attafua, 'Never Again'
Never Again
Never again will we walk in the dark
Brothers with clinched fists staring down each other
Shedding their own blood for shiny stones
Never again shall we loot and burn
In search of honour for kings
Who are left to rule the ruins
And become lords of corpses, orphans and widows
Never again will we fill our baskets
With fruits and tubers
To be left at the doorsteps of brutish thieves
While our children die of hunger and disease
Never again we say, never again we shout
To run along the streets and cheer
Never again
With a new hope and strength
Brought forth by a new day
A bright and beautiful day
That promises life
Yet by noon we gather our arms once again
Spilling our blood and sweat
As our bright day turns sour
Once again we search for truth
And chase away our lords and kings
Once again our children starve and cry for meat
As we hunt our neighbours
And slaughter friends
Once again our homes burn
And our trust is crushed
Minds are bruised and left with scars
Of blind hate and pain
Then once again we say never again
Never again when the fires are quenched
And our dead are numbered
Once again we shake hands
With foes and cry never again
As midnight comes
And an uncertain day beckons
Once again
by Brako Attafua
Never again will we walk in the dark
Brothers with clinched fists staring down each other
Shedding their own blood for shiny stones
Never again shall we loot and burn
In search of honour for kings
Who are left to rule the ruins
And become lords of corpses, orphans and widows
Never again will we fill our baskets
With fruits and tubers
To be left at the doorsteps of brutish thieves
While our children die of hunger and disease
Never again we say, never again we shout
To run along the streets and cheer
Never again
With a new hope and strength
Brought forth by a new day
A bright and beautiful day
That promises life
Yet by noon we gather our arms once again
Spilling our blood and sweat
As our bright day turns sour
Once again we search for truth
And chase away our lords and kings
Once again our children starve and cry for meat
As we hunt our neighbours
And slaughter friends
Once again our homes burn
And our trust is crushed
Minds are bruised and left with scars
Of blind hate and pain
Then once again we say never again
Never again when the fires are quenched
And our dead are numbered
Once again we shake hands
With foes and cry never again
As midnight comes
And an uncertain day beckons
Once again
by Brako Attafua