They say a Diamond never looses its luster (Happy 49th Sierra Leone)

They say a diamond never looses its luster

Mine did and was the more brilliant after regaining its former radiance

What then shall I call my precious stone

How then should I name her

Mined from the depths of colonial exploration

From the transatlantic slave trade to brain drain

Cleansed on the rivers of tears shed by the victims of

sla, ruf, people’s army and  kamajor abuse

Cut on the backs of students and trade unions

Faceted from its many peoples

The mountain krios and the swampland mendes

the many Temnes and the resilient Limbas

The Industrious Fula and the roving mandingos

The Lokos, Konos, Korankos

Sherbros, Susus, Yalunkas and Vais

Polished by the hands of child soldiers and their elders

From January 6 to June 6

May 25 to May 8

Spot shined with the blood of heroes and villains

Foday Sankoh and Maskita

Hinga Norman and Johnny Paul

Madam Yoko and sengbeh pieh

Breaking the monotony of the process by singing

Bai bureh was a warrior

he fought against the british,

the british made him  surrender,

he halla koto mamu

All the time keeping hopes bright for a dazzling brilliance

With a national shout for Jesus

Emanating from heroes and villains alike

Watch the decrease in dazzling brilliance

Corrupted by shades of woo teh teh green and osai-owai red

But she shone bright once more

With the strong elbow grease augmented by

ogaman, green beret, special forces and executive outcomes

Becoming all the more stronger for it

Stronger even more than the vinegar dissolved pearl concocted by Cleopatra

A tiny speck blemish free

Strong enough to bear our burdens,

As unique as rubbery Reed

Whose pliable hands encircle us in its warm embrace

As powerful as a mother's kiss wiping away pain effortlessly

A woman's best friend? No doubt

But much more than that, my crush

Always appreciated

like the cries of 

"kol wata de,

kol wata de

kol wan, kol wan"

in the middle of June

forever the strongest

yet with colors supple

softer than the double mounds

of loma and bintumani

More beautiful than the vitality gained by a virgin cherubim,

 Back arched,

Toe curled,

Eyes star filled

From the kiss of the rising sun

Its color fiery alive

As If the sun

fell in love with the stars

Took them on a romantic walk in the Milky Way

 Dressed in solar plumes

I extol her beauty

Until my mind is crystal

And my quill runs dry

And for that I will still call her my diamond

Because like the Greeks intended when naming a diamond

She overpowered all obstacles

And tamed all negative aspirations

To stand now bright,

Showing forth her good.

Long Live our Sierra Leone and happy Independence Anniversary to all her children.