I, Odimegwu Onwumere, a Nigerian poet and creative writer, neither a group who would understand this memorable call “STAND UP Against Poverty” do I have, nor could I organize an event, but I send this poem to STAND UP for me on October 15-6 2006 and beyond.
But What Is Poverty?
“STAND UP Against Poverty”
The clarion call rang ding dong
From my mail email box
And I couldn’t be pacific to say:
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
Who and who are going to STAND UP?
Who and who are standing for Poverty?
Who and who are standing against Poverty?
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
Poverty, do you know, is beyond
Lack of material acquisitions,
And a lot of people STAND UP for poverty?
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
We’ve spiritually poor people,
We’ve morally poor leaders,
We’ve poorly educated people,
We’ve poor healthy people,
We’ve poor governmental policies,
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
The friars in the church?
Yes, has followed politicians:
The way of the world, many of them,
And the gospel has been adulterated,
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
The students graduate, many of them,
With thousands of money given the don,
(Any trust for such certificate?)
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
Many leaders and many people
In our milieus today are kleptomaniacs:
Their wishes are obsessive to steal
And initiate of what they steal,
Houses they build, wives they marry,
Concubines they keep, children they have,
Cars they buy, hospitals they attend,
And urge of how many times they rule
The masses that have been abandoned
In cellars and squalor
Because of these dastardly perpetrations,
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
Yes, we may STAND UP Against Poverty,
But might not win the war against Poverty,
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
When we cut our misbehaviours,
By encouraging the underprivileged,
When we curtail our excesses,
Of expending gigantic wealth on irrelevant,
By being morally sound, spiritually sound,
Physically sound &even leadership sound,
Then a STAND UP Against Poverty,
Would be a war that is won,
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
“STAND UP Against Poverty”
The clarion call rang ding dong
From my mail box
And I couldn’t be pacific to say:
Yes, we’ve to STAND UP Against Poverty,
But what is Poverty?
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