The Talking Gong And The Townscrier Poem by Arnee Akpan

Gong! Gong! Gong!
He cries
Gong! Gong! Gong!
He begs and pleads for attention
Gong! Gong! Gong!
He needs an ear to listen to the voice
For the Gong speaks
Gong! Gong! Gong!
He pleads for an audience
Gong! Gong! Gong!

Gong! Gong! Gong!
He gathers the crowd with his squealing and alarming voice
Gong! Gong! Gong!
He uses his best voice
Gong! Gong! Gong!
He addresses the crowd
Gong! Gong! Gong!
His words go smoothly
He praises the audience
He exalts the gods
He entices the audience
Gong! Gong! Gong!
With such an oratory
His words seemed like poetry
Gong! Gong! Gong!

Gong! Gong! Gong!
His tone and tune changes
He yells and screams at the audience
He addresses
Their negligence
Their greed and covetousness
Gong! Gong! Gong!
He threatens them
With a sounding voice
Like the thunders from Sango
He beckons them to make a change
He threatens them with the wrath and repercussions of their deeds
Listen to the voice of the streets
Listen to the voice of the Gong
Listen to the cries of the town crier
Listen! Listen! Listen!