Allow

By

George O. Obikoya

Let me cry

Allow me sleep

Let me smile

Until I die

Even I cry

That sleeps now

To wake again

In case I smile

Let me go

Now that cries

The baby smiles

Away to dry

It pains here

Forever to cry

As even in tears

She does smile

Her baby sings

For milk again

She sobs more

At shame again

A cursory look

And timid peeks

Gesture her way

Yet all for nought

Wobbly hands

All around me

One and all

For want to cry

It still quakes

Now and again

Yet not her now

Cares to know

Give me food

Water my child

Let me be is all

A mother again

No one knows

My pain now

To be here too

As dead as done

They say a pact

Of long ago

Sees me now

How so I cry

Give me life

If any such did

Sell my soul

Just so I die

So much more

Pain all feel

Nothing matters

Here no more

My life strains

I say no more

Pact or not

We will live

Hear me now

Go down here

To see us die

Crammed dead

And you live

Dead in as us

To see us smile

Dead as crabs

Save us now

So be saved

Let us die

To live again

May be then

Or not so soon

Our souls die

We all alive

We so hide

In sewers open

Streets bare us

We die not

Drop the pill

Clean our drink

Still the drains

Smile at us

It is not any

Even if many

Out there too

With us to die

Years of lies

Reel past us

That lay dead

On the streets

Palaces lost

They cry all

Not for us

As we all die

But we cry

So to live

And die not

For them lost

We will live

Tremors we

Quiver within

But live again

My heart cries

Limbs are sore

As in pain too

All not in vain

Everything gone

Home and all

Trees before

Nothing again

Let me cry

For nation now

And me too

Over again

We vote too

For them more

To run too

For us to die

Allow us die

Not laugh at us

That some pact

Haunts us down

We are people

Just like you

Grateful always

You are there

Cover me up

Cardboard roast

Sun and rain

All the same

My head aches

Hungry again

Thirst aside

None to pay

Beside me too

As all else

Silence reigns

Where they lay

So now again

I cry and smile

So sorry I say

Wipe tears away

The smile there

Still and calm

Gone for now

To live again

They sure do

Eternally in us

Even if gone

Forever again

We stay strong

Just our hearts

Bleed for now

But will live

Let us live too

Save our days

Our shame too

As we strive

Leaders we lack

Support galore

Yet none for us

Our family dies

Away they cry

For us all here

They call home

Afraid we die

We hear you

Cry as you

Smile as you

So we live

And die we do

For want again

So help us

Not let us die

We still shake

As do all ours

None remains

We live again

We want to live

Not die again

In pits deep

Rubbles fried

Shades of red

Rivers of tears

Crackled toes

Rip foreheads

Orphans cry

Mothers gone

Nothing lost

Stares turn cold

What did we do?

Someone say

Please no pact

The truth I need

Sorry I pained

Is all that I ask

Let me cry

Not die again

Schools shut

As my eyes

So to cry

To hide my tears

No one cares

Too many die

Our streets full

Souls with tears

Send it fast

Now or not

So my son

May stay alive

We all starve

For days now

And quake still

Just so we live

Scared my own

Not all to see

Shame I dread

But live I must

So life moves on

In public glare

All I do now

Is there to see

Worry not I say

My soul smiles

To see my child

Live a new day

It is bright now

Darkness gone

Now it seems

Life it is again

Trucks still load

To mass graves

The poor souls

Gone for good

Wish us well

We say to them

As just we do

Their eternal trip

They know not now

No pain or dread

They smile now

And rest in peace

We will carry on

To soothe them

Souls cut short

Not of their own

Who knows what?

Tell me why

Children die

Suddenly in school

Struck from whence

In instant dread

Pain not to feel

As the end looms

Let me die too

Nothing here

To gain but cry

And live to cry

Give me away

To my creator

Once again

But not in shame

Words of grief

Agony abound

Yet we smile

And live again

Life seems short

Too short now

To save my own

And live in full

Pray for us all

Our souls tire

Of hurt over

Relief we need

Help us free

Once and for all

Agony to leave

Peace for good

Let us be whole

Again we plead

Free as all are

Joyful once again

The spirits roam

Ready to leap

To save us all

To be happy too

Not in vain die

All live in us

Not to leave us

To suffer in vain

We thank you all

To stand with us

As we cry out

And pray for us

We pray for all

To bear not ever

The pain we do

And hurt so bad

The sun will shine

On us once again

With your support

We will rise again

At times it’s gray

Other times, bright

Now it is dark

But sunshine nigh

Stay strong all

All will be well

We will smile soon

With tears of joy

Take care of all

The children too

As brothers live

So must sisters too

We all meet again

Someday somewhere

To cry no more

And be happy again.