16.07.2020

I came across a poem that struck me the first time I read it as a 13 year old in J.S.S 3. It’s been many wars and many years since then but the poignancy of the author’s words still strike me any time I read it again.

After the bomb had fallen

After the last sad cry

When the earth was a burnt out cinder

Drifting across the sky

 

Came Lucifer, son of the morning

With his fallen angel ban

Silent and swift as a vulture

On a mountain top to stand

 

And he looked as he stood on the mountain

With his scarlet wings unfurled

At the charnel house of London

And the cities of the world

 

And he laughed…….

And in that mocking laughter

Across the heavens ran

He cried ‘Look’ to fallen angels

This is the work of man

who was created in the image of God!

– Mary Wilson

 

There are approximately 70.8 million persons in the world who are either refugees, internally displaced or stateless persons. Of these 25.9 million are under the age of 18. There are over 2 million internally displaced persons in Nigeria. The major causes of displacement around the world are wars and conflicts.

What exactly have we done to ourselves? To the world?