By Ngam Emmanuel, World BEYOND War, September 23, 2020
When the Election Approaches
The Pharisee spends blank nights.
Countless manipulative strategies spiraling
the web of his corrupt mind. With messianic zeal this
Sanctimonious political bootlicker combs countryside nooks
in flashy limousines as if to mock the foot users.
Bearer of nude promises of hope, fussy of rival’s activities,
resorts to stage fake shows of fame to canvass support.
Mesmerizes local populace with temporal tranquilizers.
Resolute to remain up there, while the wretched down here.
Election fever attains pitch, his melody becomes mellower,
His tongue sweeter, his attitude humbler.
In a hurly-burly of a political party, the plaster saint
magically entrances the bewildered masses with a litany of envisaged projects.
Dust settles on hope, vicious cycle restarts on the rails of stagnation.
Catapulted to glory, he turns eyes to the skies.
Ghetto dwellers rehearse same songs of sorrow.
Wallow in mud of poverty, smiles buried in high mortality.
Heath, education, economy depreciate in the wicked hands of greed and self-interest.
Roads remain death traps. The downtrodden licks deep wounds of deception.
Ngam Emmanuel is a poet, writer, advocate of political justice, and high school teacher in Cameroon. Ngam graduated from Higher Teacher Training College with a Diploma in Languages (French and English).
