He Raised His Voice Poem by Diana Rosser

Ken Saro-Wiwa spoke out
against
the environmental degradation
of the land
and waters of the Ogoni.

Ken Saro-Wiwa raised his voice
but not his fist

His home land in the Niger delta
ravaged, polluted
by decades of crude oil dumping.

Ken Saro-Wiwa raised his voice
but not his fist

He chastised
the Nigerian government
for refusing
to enforce regulations
that would have protected
Ogoni land

Ken Saro-Wiwa raised his voice
but not his fist
for this,
Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged.

Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged
but not silenced

His words live on
to be read
a thousand times
by millions of other
outspoken voices.