Tribute to Captain Mahama

Captain Mahama

Perhaps he did not say good bye

He left his home alone for a run.

He set out at dawn to greet the welcoming sun

A run at early morning to breath in the spirit of God

A familiar path

A rabbit dashes ahead, outrunning the traveler, in bid to gather nuts for her babies that are hidden deeply in the forest

A bird twitters above, rushing to feed her chicks that are resting in a nest above the tallest tree.

One day the traveler would sing along with the bird

Another day he would run with the rabbit.

Today he forges harmony with the bird and rabbit, though each is set on its own path.

A run at dawn

A run at dawn to celebrate God’s wondrous ways

Each step is to celebrate the love of God on earth.

The rays of the morning sun brought renewed strength and hope.

But, alas, he crossed path with humans.

But, alas, he crossed path with soulless humans

It rained the day before

A hunter had caught a huge game and shared its meat

The farmers had completed the harvest

No one thought fully satisfied humans would commit murder

Do humans hunt other humans?

How do humans not see the traveler alone on a deserted path?

Suddenly, he becomes a threat to the entire community.

What is an existential threat?

No one heard his voice amidst the swelter of anger

His eyes hurt badly under the glare of faces burning with hate

He was alone on a lonely path

They did not even know his name

Yet they murdered him

Do they even know his life’s journey?

Do they know his destiny?

He carries love for his children in his heart

He remembers the laughter, the light in the eyes, and the harmony in the voice of his soul mate

The marauding mob decide that the run at dawn must be his last moment on earth

The journey at dawn must end with the death of the innocent

He still had so much in his heart

He was alone

He is a threat to humans he has yet to meet

Yet he carried in his heart the endearing love for his kids and soul mate

He carried the hope of many

He was tasked to carry the burdens of many

Now humans transformed God’s life in human into a mangled unrecognized form.

Surely, they must celebrate

They must dance the dance of hyenas

Surely they are intoxicated from peeling flesh from a living human

Surely they must be fully satisfied at seeing torrents of blood seeping into the earth

The earth must not touch the blood of its son

An abomination has occurred

No land is safe when the blood of humans spills onto the earth

A day of mutilation has to be marked with anniversary celebrations

Or else, there would be desecration of sacred tradition.

That would be the burden

We hear cries across the land

We are drenched with sorrow

The sun has departed

His kids and soul mate face unending eclipse of the sun

The earth is still bleeding

We have lost our voices

We cast our eyes downwards

We are not able to look towards the sun to Heaven

We wish we met Captain at the end of his run

But alas, the love of God would lead us through the crevasses of rugged rocks

Soon, trickles of love would form unbroken links of humanity

Soon, the overweening love for Captain would become new shoots to generate love for many

We say farewell, Captain Mahama. We say farewell, but Captain you would remain in our hearts.

Captain, farewell.