HASHTAG DAY: 20-10-2020
HASHTAG DAY: 20-10-2020
I remember, how could I forget, the tense couple of days before October 20, 2020.
Young people in their thousands carrying flags with the national Green-White-Green colors, gathered under, above and around the Lekki Tollgate, Lagos, Nigeria.
They were playing music and sharing jokes.
Some eating, some smoking, some drinking, some singing, some laughing.
Suddenly, unknown violence visited them.
What happened remains a mystery, a national secret.
For the survivors of that violence, I made this painting and wrote this poem titled #Generation/Hashtag#.
Don’t worry if you don’t understand the poem.
Poems are not always meant to be understood.
Just listen to its rhythm:
#Generation/Hashtag#
Drag me nowhere
when droopy eyes are
hungry for love to follow
media friends on Selfiegram.
We are jamming
without credit to call dad
who is now remote-dating
two strangers I no longer like
more than few postings
with emojis larger than frogs.
Which generations ago came
before mine was Beat and Black
screaming no life matters
more than crypto currencies?
We take selfies,
we carry banners
peaceful neo-binary hoodies
live-streaming generation hashtags,
high on blue buttons
low on dope:
hoping today lasts longer
than our last trip downtown
wearing leotards on ice floats
browsing nocturnal hours
online for a new therapist.
Don’t worry if you don’t understand the poem.
This poem was not written to be understood.
But do you “get” the picture?
Interested in some of my published works?
Follow Me
