Inauguration Day Poem) 19th January 2022
The River We Drink As It Gleams
By Saffiyah Joof
As it flows from Futa Jallon High land,
It’s The Rivers peace that will redeem,
It’s the love that disperses to our streets,
As the breeze touch the different parts of our country,
To see the little girls smile, as they fold their hands of dreaming and growing in the lucky land.
The old people dance with their beautiful African stories,
Remembering the thoughtful tunnels,
The green vegetables as we wail for the future with grains,
Singing with you our story of our blessed motherland,
The deaf and the blinds behold, for their chance would arise,
The hailing of One voice, a fresh breathe to our democracy,
When The River flows into our doorsteps,
We hooked to the promise of our President,
Together we wash our hands to the river,
To amend the security forces,
Together we monitor the button of our criminals as we match with various troops.
Together we Enforce the Control of our traffic drivers, For our safety should be of significance.
The new Gambia, For our Gambia,
The youths are the future olives,
In who’s creams we should apply.
Futuristic moments of truth,
For in your government we trust.
To ripe us with opportunities for quality jobs,
Together we battle against tribalism.
Strengthening the peaceful co-existence of living,
For our votes were on purpose.
We pray that thou shall act, to refresh our Land into a greater good.
Thus, make the hopes of our case fruitful,
To reconcile, heal our wounds,
Give justice to whom its due,
The fight for corruption in our breeds,
To help the under privilege in our means,
When the day begins to decline,
We pray for our feathers never die,
Embracing the beautiful cultural norms,
Our ancestral have laid the foundation,
When we give our economy a taste of freedom,
It would enlarge the provisions visions,
So give what is due to the needy,
That He may reward those who believe,
Out of His bounty, for He loves not those who reject faith,
Giving you a taste of His grace,
And we hope the Gambia ship may sail,
Thou seest raindrops issue from the midst,
The River is a stream with a strength,
Evergreen boundaries as it bangs,
For our country, The Gambia will swim with firmness.
