THE THIEF

I had a nightmare,

That a thief sneaked in

While the rest of the world slept

And stole the meaning of love

It happened one night many years ago,

Before that, just before nightfall

A daddy had put his hand over a little girl

And he whispered ‘I love you’

She snuggled close, fearless

For the meaning had not be stolen

She knew he was saying that he would protect her

That he would pray for her and provide for her

She could look up to him and put her hands in his.

A courting couple parted ways

Just before the Thief crept into town

Mr Jack walked Miss Jill to her doorstep   

And with a goodnight kiss he said ‘I love you’

She said it back, words heavy with meaning

The meaning the thief would soon steal

He was saying, ‘ I will care for you alone and I will give to you’

She was saying, ‘I will be kind-hearted and kind-worded’

They understood it.

Not more had to be said as he walked back to his car.

Over the news, the president had a speech to make’

He talked about  a new project

It would make life easier, cost lighter

It would ensure the citizens were happier

And the future of the nation would look brighter

He ended his speech with a promise

He would work harder and earnestly

For the love of the nation

And families crowded around television sets believed him

They knew he was a patriot

His love would certainly drive his actions

Then they turned the lights out.

It was bed time

The world fell asleep, asleep in my dream

Only I could see the thief move stealthily

Why couldn’t they wake? He sought to take something

He only took one

The meaning; he stole the meaning of the word love

In my dream they woke

To a world where there was love

A ‘love’ that has been robbed of its meaning

Soon after

Daddy stretched his hand to his little girl

He said ‘ I love you with his lips’

But his hands abused

His baby girl did not understand why love would hurt

Especially when daddy was smiling

Maybe, just maybe that was love

Miss Jill woke up Mr. Jack

Mr. Jack infuriated her with every breath he took

So she called him a fool to his face

She only remain because she loved him

His money was an integral part of him. The part she loved most

Mr. Jack loved Mrs Jack. He loved Miss Dainty too

She was such a dainty thing

She smelled so good when she welcomed him on Thursday after work

How he loved her, his love for her make him take and take and take

He couldn’t get enough of his dainty Daisy

And Mr. Jack was such a careful man

His love for Mrs Jack made him careful

A flagrant display of his Unfaithfulness would be insulting to her.

Tsk tsk not a sign of love, not cool

Morning dawned in the government house

And the funds were released to commence the project

All protocols observed the first cheque was signed

The money began the untraceable journey

It went different places

But a lot of it went somewhere far away

To an unknown account, operated by someone

Someone who lived in the government’s house

Of course the lives of the citizen were better for it

The members of the first family are citizens aren’t they?

All this  happened in my nightmare

This love did horrible things

The love that wasn’t really love

And as I felt my day dawn

I caught a glimpse of the thief that stole the true meaning

That was why I woke up shouting

‘ give us the true meaning of love back’

This post was written by Darbie Onugha