A World Created by the Powerful
They say “come here! go there!”
with a gun
to emphasize their words
“just drive me, please!” they say
mixing polite and threatening
because they like to blur distinctions –
…….. the powerful
yes, life itself is a cold draught
but once upon a time our earth was ours
one unit, whole
not cut up in a thousand pieces
not spoiled like she is now
before things got so messed up
she was just herself
and hugged us all no matter
if our skin was black or white
by Seifu Metaferia
from: Songs We Learn From Trees
publisher: Carcanet Classics, Manchester, 2020
Translation (original here): 2020, Chris Beckett and Alemu Tebeje