Killers on the roads
16 February 2011
BY JEFFREY FEBI
An entry in The Crocodile Prize
Roads like vines that embrace a tree
Grasping and climbing
Then in snaky moves wind
And meander along its stem
To connect a thousand
Tribes of Highlanders
To Lowlanders to Islanders
Our roads were built but woke
Many from prolonged slumbers
Of neglect and abuse
To days of bumpy rides
Then some stamped the ground
Dispersing dust into odd craters and
Splashed creeks into deceptive puddles
And gathered warriors of grass and pitpit
Then roared evil chants:
"We lie in wait!
You who travel,
To far and from near,
We will kill and kill and kill!”
So they wait! And killed!
Kill they will! Oh they will!
Bata, it's true....
Posted by: Dicta Esanda | 05 September 2012 at 11:47 AM
A good poem, Jeffrey. I don't know whether PNG politicians don't have time to read poetry!
These modern MPs don't know where to go to find and read good poetry in PNG. First of all, most MPs don't even know what a poem is.
We don't teach poetry in our schools these days in English Literature classes like the former education system I went through in PNG many years ago.
Jeffrey asks: What more is there that can make them hear us? A good question. The MPs do need to spend some time in the Parliamentary library or the UPNG library in their spare time.
Here they can read some good contemporary writings by PNG writers where many write poetry.
Maybe the Parliamentary Speaker or PM can remind the members from time to time during House sessions.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 17 February 2011 at 08:53 AM
Good poem, Jeff. I wish our politicians could fix our roads so we could drive without fear of potholes and trees falling on us along the roadside.
Posted by: Kilepa Febi | 17 February 2011 at 06:54 AM
Politicians don't have time to read poetry! I wish they did. Even the loudest cries don't usually reach their ears. What more is there that can make them hear us?
Thanks Barbara!
Posted by: Jeffrey Febi | 16 February 2011 at 03:23 PM
Jeffrey - You are brilliant! I don't know how you do it!
I guess the people who are responsible for maintaining the roads, not the civil engineers, but the politicians, probably can't understand poetry!
These roads have certainly done some killing over recent years!
Some newspaper needs to take your poem and publish it surrounded by the photos of all the major crashes over the past few years.
Posted by: Barbara Short | 16 February 2011 at 07:17 AM