Our Hearts Bleed (for Nigeria)
Our Hearts Bleed (for Nigeria)
In last years, Nigeria has lost
most forests,
but the Sambisa seems a place
of bush as much as tree,
or, at least, thorn.
Traditionally, only elephants,
or others with similarly thick skins,
could traverse it.
Elephants are few
now,
but some trucks seem tough enough,
and too the hides of those who treat people
as things–
those who have been trained in the way
of the cutlass;
though the skin of even strong
young girls
is soft, warm, such
that fingers touching it
should sing.
Boko Haram:
“Western education is
forbidden.”
Only the Western part
is a ruse,
it is education
that is
forbidden–
For things
should not read,
property does not write.
What is to be sold, used, fisted–
tethered to post
and slop pail–
should not have tools
to speak her mind.
The terrorizing
of schools
is a kindness truly–
so, they may say, pulling at their hats
and other parts–
for they are very good
at stopping mouths,
but they do not wish
to have to blind, maim, amputate–
no, they want girls
intact,
young limbs spread dark
as woods’ night shadows,
eyes pooling
stripped bark.
***********************************
A poem of sorts for Abhra Pal’s prompt on trees on dVerse Poets Pub, about the horrific abduction of now more than 230 girls in North-East Nigeria. It is suspected that the girls have taken into the Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of the Boko Haram.
Religion has been misused against women and education for a very long time. But what’s happening in Nigeria right now to both girls and boys pursing education is beyond evil. It’s really beyond what I could write of here–just trying to raise awareness,
The drawing, like most on this blog, is mine. — this post has been edited– the last line– since posting.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: #bring o the girls home, Boko Haram, girls abducted in Nigeria poem, manicddaily, Nigeria poem, treating people as things, Western Education forbidden poem
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ManicDDaily 
May 6, 2014 at 11:10 pm
my heart bleeds as well k. – it is terrible what happens to those poor girls.. thanks for raising awareness…ugh.. it makes me sick when countries treat their own children like that…sick and angry
May 6, 2014 at 11:23 pm
Evil must be exposed for what it is…thank you for telling their story in a thoughtful way…it all seems too awful for words
May 7, 2014 at 12:03 am
I hope someone stands up to the bullies and reclaims the girls.
May 7, 2014 at 12:38 am
horrific. Kony still roams but his atrocities seem nearly pale. and that in itself is criminal ~
May 7, 2014 at 1:51 am
K, the things going on in Nigeria are truly horrific – this sort of exposition can only help as our thoughts keep returning to those children.
May 7, 2014 at 2:01 am
Difficult to click like for such a heart-rending poem, but I thank you for posting it, nevertheless. It should be plastered on every Nigerian wall and tree.
May 7, 2014 at 4:32 am
It’s horrible how children are used, either as the things you write of or as soldiers. This is powerful and emotional and a perfect response to the prompt.
Steve K.
May 7, 2014 at 9:24 am
Thanks. I edited it a bit this morning, as I didn’t think the end worked very well. (That’s on the poem.) On the topic–agh–it is just terrible. k.
May 7, 2014 at 5:29 am
ugh….clenches the stomach…esp with the woman, their taking, and what we think might be being done to them currently as well…..good on you for going after it in verse k
May 7, 2014 at 10:04 am
The treatment of women as chattel in Muslim & even Hispanic countries had been like a thorn forever; good of you to add a few more barbs, lest we forget. The evil inequity transpiring in Nigeria should be a wake up call; let’s hope so.
May 7, 2014 at 7:21 pm
Hi Glenn, I don’t really think that Islam would promote the view of these crazy guys. But religions of all kind get used as excuses I think. K.
>
May 7, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Such hate and anger in those men.. terrible things happening.. I believe at the root lies fear.. which is even more dangerous
May 7, 2014 at 3:47 pm
I loved your poem even if the inspiration behind it is so sad. I, too, am thinking of those girls. Thanks.
Greetings from London.
May 7, 2014 at 4:39 pm
thank you.
May 7, 2014 at 3:54 pm
Your illustration is fitting, with focus a bit astray and the density coming forward almost off the screen. I appreciate your hand at raising awareness. There is a musical quality in the stanza that holds “through the skin of even strong young girls” and the last stanza so strong with imagery.
May 7, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Thanks, Jane.
May 7, 2014 at 5:55 pm
A harrowing, horrific tale, k. Looking at the footage of those thugs, they don;t even appear sane. I can’t think any religion would claim men like that. They are evil given free reign. Your poem manages to remain lyrical throughout, which of course only makes the horror stronger.
May 7, 2014 at 6:46 pm
Karin, Salute to you for taking up a great social cause to writing and creating awareness.
As much as sad as the event makes me, I too feel that it is very important to spread the message across through our art forms.
May 8, 2014 at 4:20 am
even beasts of forests follow rules of Nature but not so with the humans….they can stoop to such level…ugh and I can’t forget the lines….. “though the skin of even strong / young girls / is soft, warm, such / that fingers touching it / should sing.”……a poem written with heart Karin…..
May 8, 2014 at 5:13 am
The last two lines are stark and heart breaking, as is the whole incident. When will girls/ women just be allowed to be and develop to be the humans they are?
May 8, 2014 at 9:15 am
“…young limbs spread dark”…….thanks for raising awareness about this horrifying abduction.