Poem-stories, by Tom Mukasa

Poem-stories

The poets then,
and so too now,
were bound by code,
to tell,
tales,
of the earth,
to say it and make it seen,
a mandate,
to heal a sore,
or bruise,
in all its form,
emotional,
physical,
mental,
trader-poets,
conqueror-poets,
warrior-poets,
collector-poets,
healer-poets,
mediator-poets,
builder-poets,
hunter-poets,
pacifier-poets,
not because they were women,
or men,
or bent,
or reed backed,
or stentorian,
or mild speaking,
just poets,
revered,
repository of wisdom,
citizens knowing all climes,
but,
no country or county,
or sex,
or race,
or culture,
owned them,
their audiences,
their responsibility,
unapologetic,
neutral,
counted upon, 
like the season,
only taking their fair share,
and giving the form of wisdom,
poem-stories.

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