Roads

In life we have our different ways

They say friends come and go but family stays

For some it doesn’t make sense, even though it rhymes

Therefore, let Abdi try to find more fitting lines

Written in prose

Trying to reach out and keep it close

"If you look at what you have in life and what you desire, did you ever ask yourself where that attitude; that state of mind is coming from? It is only human if people try to keep the ‘state of being’ in coherence with their demand; this shapes us human in a way. When needs become more than necessities, when we try to define what being human really means – that is when we don’t make hold at physical appearance, some are more satisfied now with the story our genes might tell. Our looks might be a first finger print to some, but if that gives reason enough to call me human, I wonder what difference it made in previous centuries. Why did one group of people think of another group something less? I agree, this goes a bit too far as we all know what we are capable of when it comes to “retaining power” by simply demonising another race, faith and ideology. Let’s put the past and the politics aside for a while.

Why am I saying all that? Well, before you can identify yourself with someone, you need to get to know that person, and to find out what a person is really like, you have to look at ‘the road’ that person has taken before."

Abdi thinks that “roads” shape the personality of a person and therefore their life.

Abdi distinguishes between the freeway, the avenue, the boulevard, the side road and the pavementof life.

The Freeway

Chasing life on the fast lane today

Dressed in grey, the bodywork of my car

Leaning out of the window cigarette smoke; so far

I forgot myself, the last time I was told

They called me mister useless-unable-to-grab-a-hold

Misdeed was my miss indeed

Getting me into trouble, guess I was in need

Of someone I could have related to

Pretending as if it was new on you

The mind became deadened – if you didn’t know

Thrown into prison – time goes by slow

The very moment you announce me free

Society becomes a concrete jungle, freedom grown on trees

Paranoia and anxiety became my friend

Chasing life on the fast lane to the very end.

The Avenue

Shelter since birth just to give you a clue

Protection from both sides: elementary

Something you can’t take for granted: family

From the very start you are shown the way

The foundation is laid; still you are blessing the day

Hard work and dedication is what it took

The layout of your page in the picture book

The future is like a journey into the unknown

More like a challenge until you are fully grown

You are not really spoiled for choice

Even blessed with a mother you need to raise your voice

Life shifts like the shade

Shelter since birth can finally fade.

The Boulevard

Born with a silver spoon – a few problems apart

Ironically it feeds you for some time

Piled up, the façade of the banks deny a life of crime

Living it up, since the promising colonial era

After their independence their dependence became weirder

Globalisation seemed for your own good

Exploitation led unemployment to your neighbourhood

It is always the same; there’s no one to blame

When you try to pinpoint a name

As long the high streets look satisfied

Born with a silver spoon – means born with pride.

The Side Road

Looking at life from a distance; it is a heavy load

Of work and burden, always trying to please

The man giving credit, who never ceased

In his efforts to count the last drops of blood

Trying to bring in the harvest before the flood

No one had the choice neither the chance to chase

The life he desired or the choice to choose a race

Somehow it is always the same

Looking at life from a different view, there's no one to blame.

The Pavement

Destiny was destined to be the element

Paving the path of the future past

The road under construction ever built to last

Vast! Is the knowledge of the Almighty God

Life seems to us like a building plot

Faith paved the way to endeavour and strive

Destiny was destined to shape our life.

I distinguish between the freeway, the avenue, the boulevard, the side road and the pavement of life.

Pen 'N' Paper

Copyright © 2011