Back a couple of decades ago
I met a dead man in Malabo.
A heavy sentence confined him here,
That, and the oil companies' fear.
His odor was decidedly rank
Yellow pus from his sores really stank.
I asked what had brought him to this hell.
This is the story he had to tell:
Someone promised him he’d get rich quick
In return for a job planned so slick.
A splodge of wonga was the spoil
If they secured the purloined oil.
His job was simply to wash the books
For wild-eyed mercenary crooks.
An errant accountant that is all,
Why was it he had to take the fall?
More than once he had tried to confess
But there was no way out of this mess.
No one wanted to hear what he knew,
After five years he knew he was through.
The regime and big oil had wed
And now comfortably shared the same bed.
In the rude cell, he awaited death
Held in silence until his last breath.
Sipping coffee, I recall his jaws
Set tight over the injustice of laws
Gangrenous legs turned as hard as wood
Would you have listened if he could
Have told of the men behind the coup?
And, if you knew, then what would you do?
I hear locks click and sometimes wonder
About the money that I launder.
Author notes
This fictional story is inspired by the 2004 attempt by mercenaries led by Simon Mann to overthrow the notoriously corrupt government of Equatorial Guinea in the Bight of Benin in order to exploit its oil resources. The mercencaries were stopped and most were jailed and the testicle eating ruler of the country remained in power and is now embraced by oil company executives. This story is a fictional tale of a money laundering accountant meeting his counterpart who is rotting in prison in Malabo, the capitol of Equitorial Guinea. Simon Mann is in jail in Zimbabwe.
A 'splodge of wonga' is a term used by English gypsies to mean alot of money. It is a term used by Simon Mann to describe the anticipated results of this venture.
Prompt: Word bank with a twist.
The poem of mine that the judges reviewed at random was "Thoughts Inside and Outside the Box". Your entry must be 53 lines and your theme is "A singing tongue held captive by silence".
Note: The original poem only had 32 lines of text. It was formatted with extra empty spaces. True to the orignal - this is 32 lines of text.
Order of words used: Heavy, fear, yellow, hell, someone, return, purloined, errant, mess, rude, coffee, jaws, wood, locks, wonder
Picture credit - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/AK-74_NTW_12_92.jpg
A contest entry
- Word Bank with a Lime Twist by Bean Sidhe.
1000 points, ended February 8, 19 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Written on this Date... by xxRainbowDawnxx.
625 points, ended March 23, 39 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
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This is definately a sad tale. I can relate, it's very strong and expressive and I think it reminds me a fair amount of the WWI poetry I've done.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. I am glad you enjoyed it. It is one of many unsuccessful attmepts by mercenaries to take over a country.
Mike
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Not only did you use all the words you were given, but you used them in order! I'm sure my OCD cojudge was quite thrilled! I love the fact that you educated your readers in your author's notes as to the inspiration of this piece.
Now, I will admit that I personally, felt like the rhyme was a little constricting to you. I would have liked to know what you could have accomplished if you weren't focusing on rhyme and meter and flow...could be simply because I'm not a rhyming poet.
In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed this read! Thank you for your entry & good luck in the contest!
-Bean
P.S. Bonus points for the title - which I found delightfully creative. -
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Thank you for reading and commenting on my work. As I told your co-judge I like to tell stories when I write. I had hoped that my focus on the rhyme would not show up so much. I only write rhyme (fairly) and haiku (poorly). If i were to write free verse it would just be a story. I appreciate the style but dont partake in it myself.
The comments are much appreciated. Thank you for hosting the contest.
Mike
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I love the fact that you've told a story with this poem. One that I did not know, in fact. It is always a good idea to educate your readers in the author's notes, and I'm glad you did. The story here was complete, but I think the rhyme may have help you back a bit. Regardless, a well written piece. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish the best of luck in the contest. Thanks for entering.
-Løki
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Thank you very much for your kind comments. I like to tell stories when I write poetry. I did have a bit ot a time with the rhyme on this one. I don't write free verse and the poems do not always come out quite the way I would hope for. Thanks for reading and hosting the contest.
Mike
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What an effective use of the word-bank, and incorporating rhyme in a sing-song way. Creative and I leave here feeling more empowered by history.
Your meter was a bit off, yet I never lost the feelings you were conveying. It's so hard to tell a story in rhyme, keeping each sentence the same beat.
Linda
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I am glad you enjoyed the poem. I can get the syllable count down and I can get the rhymes right, meter is something that I have yet to master. When it comes out right it is natural. When it isn't it is because I do not understand meter or because I pronounce things in woodchuckese. Syllables that most peeople pronounce disappear, and then we just add some in, in other cases.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Mike
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nice poem, the story was awesom and the rhy was better than average, very interesting style as well
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Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed the poem. I find sometimes that history sometimes lends itself to very interesting verse.
Mike
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Splodge of wonga - years since I heard this term! Kushti!
This is a grand bit of balladeering, with a cynical edge to it.
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Glad you enjoyed it. I have just finished a book on the coup attempt. It was obviously on my mine when I wrote the poem. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Mike
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interesting take on the prompt. the tale you spun is awesome and your choice of words are cool. good luck in the contest. thanks for sharing.
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting on my work. The contest was a bit of an oddity as the judges formed a word bank from the words in one of my own poems. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Mike
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Powerful as well as shaming -- we hear a story once in a while, but not much of this makes the news here. You've crafted this excellently, and somehow despite straightforward descriptions, you call us to compassion. A wonderful demonstration (again) of your immense talent.
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting. It is not a well known story. One of the sidelines is that Margaret Thatcher's embarassing son supplied a helicopter to be used in the coup.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Mike
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Oh what a tale do you tell, about the man and his smell, he got caught and locked Inside
I saw It all as I took this ride
WOW !!
You really take the reader on your jorneys with you
Excellent piece
All the best
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Glad you liked it. I was going to do a contest on the word mercenary and the subject. But the whole idea just fizzled out. I guess it was on my mind still when I got this prompt.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Mike
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Vivid, Excellent Meter
Bravo ! Masterful & Vile
Thank you for writing and posting.
Cheryl
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting. I am glad you enjoyed the poem. It is always much appreciated.
Mike
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Cool. I loved reading the story. I could smell the guy! LOL
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Thanks for reading and commenting. I am glad you enjoyed the poem. Maybe I can redo it in Smell-O-Rama.
Mike
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good luck
kat
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