Poetry: Thank You, Church By Stefn Sylvester Anyatonwu

Thank You, Church

I was hungry
and you formed a committee
and you discussed my hunger
and you paid yourselves
to talk about my hunger.
Thank you.

I was imprisoned
and you crept off quietly
to your churches and piously
pray for my release.
Thank you.

I was naked
and in your gatherings
you debated the morality of my appearance.
You condemned my dressing
But I actually had no change of raiment.
Thank you.

I was sick
and you got on your knees
singing from lying lips
praising God for your health.
Thank you.

I was homeless
and you preached to me
of paradise in heaven
and the canopy of God
But never cared to shield me
From biting cold
And burning heat.
Thank you.

I was lonely
and you left me alone to pray for me.
Thank you.

You seem so holy
So spirit filled
But you left me hungry
And lonely
And cold
And naked
And sad.
Thank you.

Where’s the love of God in your hearts?
What has your prayers done?
Where have your good works gone?
What heavenly good there is
to recite the Lord’s Prayer
From dawn to dusk
When the rest of the world
is crying for help?

For allowing a soul
Go down Sheol
Thank you, Church

Biography:

Stefn Sylvester Anyatonwu began his career as a teenager, gaining unparalleled experience in creative writing, while also establishing himself as a respected poet.

Influenced by writers such as Maya Angelou, Chinua Achebe, Shakespeare, Wole Soyinka, Myles Munroe, he aspires to quake the earth with his quill, while keeping tabs on efficiency, originality, consistency and accuracy.

He is currently most passionate about poetry and runs an online platform Prose & Poetry Hood for budding African poets. His mission is to help more aspiring young writers structure their craft and attain authorship successfully. In 2015, his poems won the Pengician of the Year Award and in 2016, the Chrysolite Writers Poet of the Year Award.

He is the author of many poems and non-fiction books: ‘Diary Of A Broken Poet’, ‘Scriptophobia’, ‘You’re Loved & You Belong Here’, Creating Lead Generating eBooks’, ‘Self Publishing Successfully’ and ‘How To Create Amazon Author Page’. His publications include anthologies, self-help manuals and creative writing aides.

Currently working as an Editor for Libracin Natural Medicine, Stefn is widely known for his editing skills, creative writing, social media advertisement and paid advertisement expertise.

When he’s not busy inking poems, he enjoys singing and spends time blogging. His writings have been featured on several literary platforms, as CWAN Pengician, Tush Stories, African Writers, WRR, Parousia Magazine, Ezine, Academia, Slideshare, TNW, among others. Stefn is proud to call Aba, Abia State home.