Lamentation
For
Maiduguri
By Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi
•••
Dedicated to the flood
victims and entire
people of Maiduguri.
•••
Raging waters,
rising high
Floodgates open,
the deluge nigh
Destruction’s path,
it does unfold
Leaving ruin,
young and old
Torrents swift,
with fury wild
Sweeping away,
with deadly child
Homes and dreams,
in watery grave
Families torn,
with hearts that ache
The storm subsides,
the sun shines bright
But devastation,
a woeful sight
Mud and mire,
a foul embrace
A community,
in a desperate space
Floodwaters recede,
but fears remain
Of future storms,
and endless pain
A cycle repeats,
a tale so old
Of nature’s wrath,
forever told
The displaced,
with hearts so sore
Seek shelter,
on higher shore
A temporary reprieve,
from the flood’s might
But memories linger, Through the endless night
The environment,
a delicate balance
Disrupted by,
human existence
A warning sign,
for us to see
A call to action,
for you and me
Let us unite,
to mitigate the flood’s sway
Through sustainable living, a brighter day
For a safer tomorrow,
we must strive
And keep the menace,
of flood, alive.
_______________
© Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi
Tuesday 07-03-1446 (Hijriyya)
10-09-2024 (Miladiyya)
