We are not who you say we are

We were carefully carved by you
we are a product of your belief
a sprinkle of negligence
a handful of bigotry
a spoonful of tribalism
these tears are the water you gave
us to drink from your sacred cup
we are the same set of fishes
you left to die but we dried
and can no longer be tamed
you taught us karma only has fame
but never really lives up to his name
we learnt this language from what you speak
we are a product of everything you teach
we are the Josephs you sold for a price
and look at how well we’ve learnt to rise
guarding our rights, writing another page
to this story you used to own the plot
we are not enough but we are a lot
no turning back; no, we wouldn’t turn to salt
we are the river you built a wall to stop
this is the beginning of a journey to the top

Tomide Abdul