I wish I could paint
Pictures so bright and images so real
Of mothers struggling
Of fathers toiling
Of babies crying
Their stomachs rumbling
Of poverty they are all trapped in

In colour, I wish I could paint
On a canvas expressed
The plight of a people still oppressed
The lament of skills unharnessed
The moan of hopes erased
I wish I could paint

I wish I could draw
Figures so vivid and images so real
Transfer mind to paper
To let them know how I feel
About their corruption
About their consumption
Which has left nothing for our consumption
About their assumption
That corruption is not a big deal
Despite the evidence being so real
And its effects surreal

I wish they could learn
The extent of their damage
The reality of life in their age
The way they have taken us back to bondage
I wish I could draw

I wish I could write
A poem so poetic yet so powerful
To speak to the leaders so wonderfully
Perfectly lined syllables that inspire everyone to do the needed
Appealing to all senses but to their minds be mindful
To walk the talk
To despise not what is right
To respect everyone’s right
To rekindle their long forgotten light
How I wish I could write