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?