MY DEAR YOUTH
I looked at the cloud, at the hazed sky.
Angrily at patch of the azure
The great wandering darkness,
The sail, a stand of an ocean,
Flowing with a thunder fog,
That is pressing with a song
Of a vague impression,
And the length of the earth within,
Thriving as darkness vision.
I will take my stance and,
In addressing you my dear Youth,
All that I have, I have dedicated,
My ideals to obey the clarion calls.
Our hands are no longer ours,
And now they seize our tongue?
How much longer, my youths,
We suffer these indignities?
While breath gives live to their command?
When will this closing stage?
Answer my question dear youth.
Why, if I may question further,
The cause of the source of fear,
And anger,
That,
I am venting spleen indirectly,
Because you are my dear youth,
I want you to know that,
You are very ignorant,
That of all nations in the globe,
You are so cheated,
Evoking pity,
you disagree?
A reason perhaps?
Obey the clarion call,
Oh! Youth of our soil,
The hot blood and flesh,
That is famished in the sun,
The burning coals in incessant rain,
Looking at your farmland ready,
Because there is no hay.
Oh my dear Youth,
My bright light,
A greened pasture;
The strength-future
When will you rise up and say,
No not again, leave us alone.
Enough of these indignities?
You sit back and watch,
Like a farm land donkey,
A playfield to the world's eyes,
Sitting like a sacrificial head,
On the greener-earthen altar of gods,
While you have not a door nail,
Like the portraits you are,
Consequently pushed around.
Consequently pushed around.
Let your ears be attentive,
And my words make sense,
Because it's my testimony,
The truth, known and unknown,
Yet said and unsaid.
Analysis
Review of the poem titled “My Dear Youth” by Felix Emeka George.
This is a satire. A poem of sixty lines with eight stanza. The poet tone is aggressive and filled with sorrow, anger and bitterness. This is poem written to address the youth on a national matters, lack of their rights as youth and how they have denied of their privileges and what belongs to them . This is poem that made an outcry on behalf for change, justice and balance in the society. It’s an interesting poem that pointed out truth that we (youth) tend to hide away from.
Looking at the first stanza of the poem, showcase the state of situation that need to be addressed to. The poet made it clear how dark and ill things in the country look like. In stanza two, the poet made it clear that that youth are at the center of it all ( in line eleven, In addressing you my dear Youth). The poet calls the attention of the youth to the challenges facing them. In the third stanza, the poet made his complaint with questions which has refused to answered or Resolved. The third show a state of denial of rights or living (see in line 14 & 17 “Our hands are no longer ours …We suffer these indignities?
The same line of thought in stanza three spin over in stanza four. However, the poet vented his anger of the youth who he believed to be ignorant and reluctant about the situation. This is a poem that tend instigate hope and passion in lives of the youth to fight for what is their and stand on their ground to bring change. Stanza give beam it’s light on the youth to obey their clarion call which point to fulfilling their duties and obligations as a patriotic citizen and save their nation from hand of those who oppress and cheat them.
The next stanza looks like an appeal with a amicable words that warms the heart. Here, the poet adore and praise the youth with soft words, which will compel them to take action. The tone and words of the poet change in stanza seven, where the poet emphasized on the indignities and atrocities done to the youth which they (the youth) have ignored or refused to take action yet. In conclusion, the poet make his pledge to uphold his truth and voice and advised youths to understand his lamentation and let truth prevail no matter what.