THE DOWNING KITE- Written by ABU ABDULKADIR

We sank our young chests
Into forest sharps
Seeking the finest of sticks
To propel our kite.

We crafted our darling kite
Daring as witched ravens
Camping in the clouds
We then delibrated
And ‘Hope’ it was christined

Then we found the loudest
Of stars
Plucked them from the sky
Packed them in palm packs
And tied them to ‘Hope’s back
As a parcel for God

Accept our ‘Hope’ dearest Lord

Let us grow green
Branching skywards
Beyound heights where
‘Hope’ cannot touch
Amen

Let our hands be scoured clean
By new rains
And place our plate
Among the big circle of clasmen
Amen

But

‘Hope’
was
punctured
By hooded infidels
And we watched it

downing
Scattering
madly
Descending
heavily

Upon our worn chests
The black children

And we retired home
Wearing our cheeks
Between our palms
Too grieved for tears