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Friday 18 May 2012

Mumia Abu Jamal*

Yo Mumia,
give us news:
type it all out
on your dread-lock type-writer heart
pin it on the memory of a radio show
fold it in a jailor’s guilt
sail it on the waves of complicity
tell me how long 30 years is like
my brother Political Prisoner,
unravel the meaning
of justice, decency and civilization
those easy alibis for invasion and massacre
the age old guns-in-booty-out of empire;
whistle your story if your fingers are tired of twiddling
in unison with the waiting-for-you
of friend and detractor;
write to us again
the love story of your democracy
your citizenship
and your freedom
that is envied so much
by so many.

 *Mumia Abu Jamal, wrongfully convicted of murder, completed 30 years in prison on December 9, 2011.  His sentence was commuted to ‘life’ from execution by lethal injection on December 8, 2011.

[From the collection 'Some texts are made of leaves,' shortlisted for the Gratiaen Award 2011]

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1 comment :

  1. this is one of my favorite poems of your collections......

    i like to think of all the prisoners of any kind here and there of this world i think that the day that get the chance to see the outer world releasing from the bars of a jail generally is undoubtedly a wonderful and a memorable day of ones personal life.

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