Poetry: Street Is Military by Uchendu Kaliz Njionye

Street Is Military

There is a boy
standing on the bridge of fate
he can’t go back
those over are not his knid either.
This boy must find his pace admist running shadows,
fleshy shadows with no soul,
soul they sold to the game,
A game of survival,
Survival in the street,
street no man’s land,
a land that recognises not our feet,
our feet weary from walking,
walking and working only to crumps,
crumps of tricksters,
tricksters who care not,
CARE, a word not in Street Anthem.

There is a boy
who must belong
for his wormy tummy he can’t ignore
he needs orientation
there is a motto
the street has an Anthem
what’s the anthem he asks
‘if your shoe no black,
no near’ he is told.

I see a boy with broken limps
but the frequencies of kaki men thought him to stand on the shoulders of adversity with no feet.

I know a boy who must be different
but on the bark of trees
he is fortold
….scratch my back….
…i scrach your back…

I know a boy
who want’s some savings
but on the brusies of a fellow hustler
he is reminded…
BE YOUR BROTHERS KEEPER.

I remember the boy
so compassionate
but as unseen hands ransack his last hope
he learns…
NO BROTHER IN THIS JUNGLE.

I say there is a boy
who must leave
for mama’s word come evergreen in his ears,
‘an Eagle soaring among chicks
soon forgets to fly’,

chai.! That boy, a weakling
who betrayed his bond,
he was left with scars
to sing him a song…
NO MERCY FOR THE JONCING ONES.

The street is military
military makes and breaks men.
I say the street is strictly disciplined
and i reserve the right to say
School never taught us what the street has.

Biography:

Uchendu Kelechukwu Njionye fondly called kaliz by friends hails from Amiyi in Ahaba Imenyi of Isuikwuato, Abia State. Curently residing in Aba.
A lover of music, Art, writen and spoken words