Umuahia Poem by Kwame attaPappoe

A CRY UNHEARD

Upon Umuahia’s lofty heights
The cry for liberation arose
Instantly reverberated by the voices below,
In the fields and on the proud of waters of Biafra.
The waves of desire rolled and sped,
Carrying peasant and lord, friend and foe
Into the sea of confusion.

The sun dipped behind the cover of dark clouds,
And the winds whispered and howled,
Nature stood still and listened to the angry
Susurrus that rose from pole to pole.
Mars sat triumphant in his gleaming chariot
Urging with martial voice, the brothers on
And Mother Africa sat, woebegone,
vainly imploring her Elder sons cease the fray
But Hail Biafra, Odumegwu bellowed!
And One Nigeria! The Northern Doves chanted.
The Eagles dipped their talons in gore,
And swooped down upon unwary preys.
The cannons boomed and the drums rolled,
While heap upon heap, the pyres rose.
The doves flapped their soiled wings,
At the gory sight and jetted fast and free.
But the carnage continued and the bombs flew.
Earth, drenched in gory robes, danced in drunken stupor,
While the moon hid in fright at the sight below.
The winds flew, East, West, North and South,
Away, away! Away from the maddening scene.
The elements panted and gasped,
But One Nigeria! the voices bellowed.
HAIL BIAFRA, the warlords returned,
The wailing women danced in the deserted streets of proud Biafra
As the daily toll increased.
The guns boomed from Alagbon Close
And away in the distance, The Voices still cried in defiance of peace.