The Future

By Lois Oluyamo

The Future
By Lois Oluyamo
They say we are the leaders of tomorrow
The future is all our hope
Our faith is with the hope of a better tomorrow
Yesterday got impregnated by today
At the stroke of midnight, the baby tomorrow is born
And she grows up like a termite, eating up time
And growing into maturity at the detriment of our plans.
Tell me, where is the future?
When the past had intercourse with the present to give the future,
When our present sees no harm to play with the past,
The crying and screaming and shouting are paid no heed,
As the future continues to unfold.

She, the illegitimate child
The fruit of the past and present evil act done at night.
The sands of time take me to see her.
She laments on she has been laden with hope
How much was expected from her
She tells me ‘what can you expect from an illegitimate child?’
‘Go!’ she told me
Tell the present to stop mingling with the past
The past to hold its peace to avoid this shame that is on me
Tell them to spare me of this sorrow
Why then do you sit here and cry?
I am in the seeds of the past and in the eggs of the present
I am where I am because I have been born and cast into the sands of time
Waiting to be seen by you all.
I am the result of your acts and deeds,
Your shameless laughs and kisses are here with me
I am waiting to be unfolded.
I cry for you all.
For my fathers and mothers that engaged
In the act would not be here when I am born

But you all will bear the pain of what the older generation have done
I cry for you
Whatever you can so that your children would see me and laugh
Go now!