My tears curdled the sun to sleep
Yet it kept vigil all night
Watching the moon as it took to the sky
The solar light source felt warm
In its own angst and lamentation
As the lunar god wailed
With much desperation till it quivered in cold air
That was the day darkness clouded
A life for which we will ever be thankful and proud
The cock crowed twice
Yet it resounded a dozen times
In my ears with inescapable echoes
The worst amongst man's fears
Now says cheers to one who was endeared
After life held him for seventy-eight years
If only Death could be near
I would have slaughtered it
Ridding it of its icy hands
That never stay at rest but always prowl
You took a treasure away
But remain powerless
For your efforts to take away pleasurable memories proved futile
His name stands erect in bright ink
On our mind's tablets
And his love will sink deeper into our hearts' deepest bottom
Owuo aankum Awoonor
W'awo no fofor
Awuor aa 3b3ma nedin akron
He is reborn
The black narrator lives on
We will uphold his legacy
And make mention of him as one who is close amongst us
He is reborn into the indelible part of history's annals
He journeys into eternity where life is timeless
He sojourns to a land where his exploits are needed
Leaving us with his legend
Bismark Opoku is a Ghanaian poet.
This poem is part of our series of poems in memory of Kofi Awoonor. You can learn more about Awoonor and the series here. If you have a poem in memory of Kofi Awoonor, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.
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