Haiti, Haiti-After The Hurricane by Makhanda Senzangakhona

Makhanda Senzangakhona | July 16th, 2018 | poetry | No Comments

Poet Bio

34. HAITI, HAITI, HAITI!

I want someone to blame
Give me someone, something, anything,
To accuse for your woes-
The wretched fate and condition
Of your children.
Find yourself a target, my anger
Court yourself an object
To vent your fury.
Without the object- I am consumed
Give a reason, any reason-whatever the reason
For my anger to prey on
To attribute blame
To ascribe culpability-
How such a horror came to pass
Without mediation of the past and present.
They deride my reasons,
How can you blame nature:
tsunami. floods. fire. hurricanes,
droughts and mudslides occurrences?
The world is witness to all.
Why I am forever the victim-
None is able to explain-
And survivor too- in spite of all
Where others forever remain
Unscathed none dare say- few have reasons
To offer for my wretched state!

None dare tell me
The tricks by which others
Survive the cataclysm,
Armageddon,
Holocaust,
Genocide;
And the Atlantic middle passage,
Nobody tells me
How others take to heels
At the first onset of perdition
When the alarm sound-
The early warning system-
And the resilient foundation
Upon which their existence is built
Without the burden of the past
Of plunder, bondage and servitude
To distant masters.

Can you blame colonialism,
They ask me,
Imperialism,
Slavery,
Globalization,
Capitalism,
Racism!
They sneer,
Mock,
And cast snide remarks

Blame your despots- I am told
Arraign your dictators,
They repeat,
Curse your genetics
and values’ failure to “modernize”
So, I am told- thank us,
Be thankful to our rescue
Be grateful-to earn our goodwill towards reconstruction
You are prostrate,
And at our mercy-
How can you decide,
Vote for choice theory
Let alone preference
That is not a given for slaves
And their descendants-
Black Jacobins- must remain
Haiti, Haiti, Haiti

Somehow, someone, something-
I must blame.
This nature is not neutral!

Poet Bio

Makhanda Senzangakhona is the nome de Guerre and pen name for Paul Oupa Serekele Ramachela. The author has retained the use of both names because he does not wish to be lost to his comrades nor become an alien to his family, and relations. Previously published poems, short stories and other narratives have appeared in the following publications, amongst others, Staff Rider, Rixaka, Mayibuye, Mrabulo and Black Letter Media-Poetrypotion.
The author has served in various roles in and outside SA; until recently he was a senior public servant.

Click to rate this post!
[Total: 0 Average: 0]
(Visited 162 times, 1 visits today)