Empty Bowls

This poem is about my dad's family and all of Nigeria's struggle called the Nigerian-Biafra Civil War. My dad was a child at the time and his own brother was taken by Biafra to become a child soldier.

Empty Bowls

A Poem about the Nigerian Civil War

 By Matthew Lasekan

 

Nigeria… the land of my father and his kin,

But soon all will be lost in a grave sin.

For ethnical clashes and military coups would throw the people into turmoil

Where 3 million people will die and spoil,

While our land will crumble and fade into dust.

This is a tragedy that in which our country will eventually bust,

While 2 sides one Nigeria and the other Biafra wants to see the others destruction they sang.

So it began on July 6^th 1967 with a bang.

Not knowing the everlasting effects on Nigeria it would lay

And all people of Nigeria and Biafra will pay.

 

Oh the war had plagued the poor souls.

So the children will go with empty bowls,

Doing anything to get a meal,

But with not a crumb left to steal,

Hungry they went to heaven’s side.

To where they will die.

 

The first shoots rang in a 2 column Nigerian march.

Meet by fierce resistance the Biafra’s resources became parch,

Forcing to retreat they did succeed in exhausting the Nigerian soldiers.

Then the Biafra’s had made an fast advance like rolling boulders,

They almost took the capital on Nigeria Lagos but where stopped.

Almost winning a major victory they goofed up and popped,

Taking away many of their soldiers Biafra eyes look towards the youth.

                  Taking away young boys away from their homes and put into a booth,

To be trained to kill their own blood,

And let their changed minds and rage flood.

 

Oh the war had plagued the poor souls.

So the children will go with empty bowls,

Doing anything to get a meal,

But with not a crumb left to steal,

Hungry they went to heaven’s side.

To where they will die.

 

During this whole hellish mess,

My dad’s own brother went missing he had guess.

But he was fighting on the enemy Biafra as a child soldier.

He was the rocket launcher holder.

My dad and my uncle were close and my dad could feel his pain 100s of miles away,

But the pain had stopped 1 day,

And my dad knew he had lost his close brother to this big bloody battle.

Then after 10 years my uncle walked home and he was alive and well,

But tortured by his past’s bloody hell.

 

Oh the war had plagued the poor souls.

So the children will go with empty bowls,

Doing anything to get a meal,

But with not a crumb left to steal,

Hungry they went to heaven’s side.

To where they will die.

 

But the hands of the devil soon placed a part of this war.

The Nigerian government orders a blockade to add salt to this open sore.

With Biafra’s resourced running thin,

They take the food from the civilians of Biafra in a big bin,

And gave it to the soldiers as they ate like kings.

In starvation the people of Biafra answers the phone with death as it rings.

Africa although paid the most,

For the growing plants of the next generation were cut short and spread on toast.

The souls of these beautiful children will be lost forever as they fly into the sky,

All due to the greed of the Imperialization’s pie.

 

Oh the war had plagued the poor souls.

So the children will go with empty bowls,

Doing anything to get a meal,

But with not a crumb left to steal,

Hungry they went to heaven’s side.

To where they will die.

 

But after 2 and ½ years later Biafra has surrendered the war has ended,

And these broken bones have been mended.

But Nigeria is still going through a chaotic time,

Nigerians are once again fighting each other in an endless flipping dime.

Muslims and Christians are fighting over land,

But what is wrong with loving each other in these wondrous sands?

The only way we can make the world better place is through understanding and love.

Soon I hope flying away will be a dove

As the whole world yells out loud

“We are one people and we are proud!!!”

Author's Note

Please enjoy and if I forgot to mention something about the war please forgive me.