Dehai

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                                  WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY

 

    In the late eighties,  I and my college friends went to the deaf church located at  Fairfax, Virginia. The deaf preacher was adopted by elderly couples who were stationed at the U.S. army base, in Germany during World War II. As the father  heard some freshmen students complaining about their food on campus, he said, " When I was in the army in Germany, I had no any food or drink to celebrate my birthday. But  I was lucky that I had a box of crackers that I shared with my comrades in celebration of my B-day. We all praised the Lord for these pieces of food. That is why I am wondering as I hear you time and again complaining about your food. You have to thank God for giving  your daily bread." Such realistic assertion may be applied to our contemporary youths who did not taste the bitter cup of wretchedness with camouflaged agenda during the dark hours of our history. If some don't know or forget their past, they cannot appreciate their comparable pursuit of living today. With this in mind, I would like to share with you the following poem:-

 

WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY

 

Asmarina......!

This sacred city

Once became a prison camp

When a quarter

Of a million Derg armies

Made our top flats

Their trenches

And our historic schools

Their clubs and hospitals.

 

In the curfew of the night

Life was early to bed

And early to rise

But not for runaway dogs

Which howled and roamed

Till the cock crows.

 

There was money

But noting to buy

The hungry child

Had to cry

Every now and then

While sucking the breast

Of undernourished  mother.

 

There was a shortage of supplies

No sugar or coffee

For many days and nights

The poor mothers

Had to grind some candies

in order to sweeten their tea.

 

But not only that...

They had to chop to pieces

Their tables, chairs, and boxes

Which they used as fire wood

In order to cook their food.

 

We saw the dancing trees

Which were accustomed

To the gentle blow of friendly winds

While knocking down everywhere

By a bomb-generated hurricane.

 

We saw the singing birds stir

From the ugly sounds of bombs.

 

We saw the abandoned child

While running to the approaching tanks.

 

We saw the aged, bedridden

And visually impaired

Who had no one around

To take them out

While their houses

Burned to the ground.

 

We saw many young women

Waiting in the line

From morning to dark

To get their share

From water tanks.

 

We saw many poor folks sleeping

Inside the train cars

Of the legendary Ferovia

A reminiscent of Sawa

Under the leadership of Gedil

Which means struggle.

 

At last, my country men and women

We learned the hard way.

However,

Where is the court

In this soulless world

Where is pity

In this senseless  world?

Where is humanity

In this cruel world?

For all these

Let us forgive

But not forget

For the sake of peace

In this very world

devoid of justice.

 

 

-Haile