Written piece
Red Thread
Obiageli Osodi
Nigeria
About this piece
A poem reflecting the bloodshed, pain and resilience of Nigerians.
Like an Ankara thread, we are woven together- different colours represent different pain but shared strengths.
The blood of the people cries,
The thunder crackles at the lies,
Oppression, our master with a whip,
Hope, what hope?
In our bruised heart, pain and fear is all we keep.
We toil and toil, grunt and curse,
On our backs, cities built without remorse,
We chant Selah, Selah with broken voice,
Justice, what justice?
When our cries are treated as noise.
Still, our bruised hearts stand strong,
The Ankara on our backs show our songs,
Different thread sewn together,
Love, yes love,
Remains in the bruised heart forever.