THE BEAUTIFUL DAY

Madam says it is a beautiful day
A day with a wide wide way
A day to have many a say
A day where happiness deserves no delay
I smile at this gay day
…which imprisons my thoughts to satisfy Madam
A gay day
A gay day it is

II
I left my roof on someone’s ground
I left my room an unwanted sea
…my things turning fishes
…and dishes turning wishes for me and mine
Still
…that does nothing to soil the day
…in Madam’s house
It is a gay day
A gay day it is

III
All night on wobbly legs I stood
Papa Quansah also stood with his diabetic legs
…my poor poor half
All night I watched as rains whipped my Araba
…and kakraba
…and Ekuba
…and Kobby
As winds turned devil to uproot all it could from our house
And I previously thought the leaking a hell
Ha!
It is a gay day
A gay day it is

IV
I smile slaving in another world
…under my very same nation
I smile washing for a heaven
…with hands coming from a hell
I smile
…listening to Madam sing and glow
…and show her oh so perfect day
…sometimes stopping to give it praises
…with eyes whose sole audience is me
Me –
…Mama Esther
Why can’t she see?
Why can’t she see the sorrow consuming this smile?
Why can’t she see the hell presence
…in her heaven?
Why can’t she see the dent of her gay day?
Why can’t she see –
…me?
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © March 1, 2020