the SEVEN dis-ap-POINT-ed AGENDA

(For his Excellency, from a disheartened subject)

before hell, we ate hot coal
and felt we'd cope with any fire

but when we saw the blaze of hell
we began a prayer for triumph

hoping the bruise we shall wear
won't be a scar too deep to bear

then you came with the cure of seven
the magic antidote – seven point agenda

baba, it hasn't healed our pain, instead
it is breaking our spirit for a lasting cure

truly, every victory has its own cross
but this seven-thingy is one cross too heavy

seven--ke? seven reminds us of fighting demons
in so short a history, we've fought too many

now, all we want is complete victory, for
this cross with seven points, mutilates our will

your excellency, ero--o. caution
did you really come with cure on your fingertips?
'cause your touch yielded no efficacy.

for now we have reached calvary
before we're hung. we are in seven pieces

your excellency, baba yeye o!
power us in one piece, as one agendum

we don't like seven. seven agenda reeks of bad fortune
it reminds us of the herbalist whose cure is set to fail

rather than say he has no word to heal his patients
he asked for seven minds of seven great serfs

who lived before the time their forefathers father did
seven decades before the seven days rain fell

er....sir. your excellency. that number, seven
brings many closer to death; the type that
takes the soul and leaves the body stiff

for how shall it be heard, that the hope of
the country seek for death before their fathers lived

but baba, that number seven murder dreams
we're depressed, distressed, and so we protest
power us, that's one agendum that will work

'cause when we prayed for succour
defiling the reign of bloodsuckers
we hoped against dream pluckers
who reeked of any disap-point-ing agenda?

seven, we insist, is a bi-gggg number
your excellency, baba rere. baba ke
do magic with one agendum
use your power - restore power!
for how long can we be...

er...counting to seven....ha!
waiting for seven....ha!
looking at seven....haaaaaa!
seven sir, has given us laughing marks
that's not because we love to smile

we're a happy people always snapping!
we smile to kickstart the anger inside
we're the perpetually happily despondent folks

the anger in us has a defined retention,
it's the pain before, the pain now and the pain after

your excellency, we appreciate your wisdom
after all, we prayed for a wise man
benevolence through man, imposed you on us

but it's good still to say we aren't ready for
seven deluding agenda
seven disappointed agenda…

you're a wise man; we've learnt your silent wisecracks
but seven point agenda, derides our aspirations
truth is, we're tired of laughing at our anger

we appreciate your wisdom; jokes apart
we have seen beyond this oracle of seven
for, in the cardinal seven we see no agenda.

your excellency, ero.
power us

(c) Jumoke Verissimo 2009