Poem

Oh Pius, here lies your crest

Your life, you lived with zest

With piety, you worshipped the truth

With bravery, your armoured steel of suit

When all around you feigned the truth

You stood tall and bellowed your flute

Even in the face of naked brute

You stood your ground and took the boot

Many times over, you were carolled under

And confined within the walls called Pademba.

For crimes committed, by those who plundered

Your nation’s wealth and left to suffer.

You gave voice, to the voiceless

And power to the powerless

Your thirst for the truth, never made you less

Your bravery uncouth, made you fearless.

But here lies Pius, in his lifeless prime

Left bold footprints, on our sands of time

For others to follow, where no one dared

For a calling, that left him endeared

Generations unborn, will trace your footprints

To the darkest corners of limitless limits.

For the pious piety of your brave ink

With brute force, that they tried to sink.

When all around you, drank from the well of sycophancy

You stood tall, from the madding crowd of tyranny.

Toe to toe, you never cowered from their lunacy

But you braved insane brutality, to protect my sanity.

And here lies immortality, buried in your footnotes

That I should follow, and take full note

Of the price you paid, to keep me afloat

From the dregs of society, that sank my boat.

No ink can coat, your paintwork in journals

But your old sage writings will engender

While you are laid to rest

Just remember, you were the best.

You said your piece, so rest in peace

You said no peace without justice

You’ve gone to your maker

Your life will never be over.