Poem: The bone of contention

In every conflict

The perimeter of reason is breached

But not to the extent of madness

Unless it’s all-out war

Or the beginning of a genocide

Now let’s strip this argument

And expose the ligaments

Who won the election?

The bottom line lies under the democratic dispensation

That we have allowed ourselves to be part of

The institution of elections is guarded by law and order

It’s true some fool may mess around

And puncture the balloon of institutional integrity

With the thick sharp talons of corruption

But then it’s near impossible

To go from one state to another

And repeat the same trick

It’s upon the collective consciousness

To realize the illusion

Who is fooling who?

The masses are appetized

The politicians are brandishing their doctrines

It’s a scene out of a Dark Age movie

Or a magical trick box

Let those with the power of reason

Put forth an end to this mess

Before it’s too late

And our only hope is shattered

Leading humanity into the dark ages

Uncertainty is not only a sharp knife

It’s a thorn on the side of reality

All of reality is depended on some kind of certainty

Even though it may be elusive

At least the idea of certainty is enough

To put a bandage around our wild thoughts

Extinguishing all rogue ideas

It’s not too late

To chew the bone of contention

Inside the house of diplomacy

And unravel the truth

For all to see

It’s not the court or political systems

That will suffer the consequences

It’s us the people

Who will bear the scars of war

Democracy is a messy business

Let us not make it messier

©Kenneth Maswabi