By Oumar Farouk Sesay
Henry is gone
A huge cavity
Is left in the world’s smile
Furrows of grief furrowed
the sky’s forehead as the
dissonant note of his final breath
untuned the cosmic tune
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
His final heartbeat was like
a metronome of funeral drums
of epochs lost
The pedal tone is gone,
And a requiem
Hung in the air
Where the thrill once reigned
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone.
The pivot of many friendships is gone
The spindle snapped and unhinged
There is a glitz in the cosmic movement
‘Cause gone is the friend
Whose Midas tongue
Turned enemies into friends,
Leaving a trail
Of friendship
And friendliness
Wherever
He went
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone;
His exceptional warmth is gone
His infectious laughter is gone
His sharp-witted jokes have all gone
His compassion for others gone
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
His dedication to friendship gone
His all-embracing spirit gone
His indifference to differences gone
His generosity and fun gone
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
His touch of humanity is gone
His spirit of sharing is gone
His vow to her mother’s memory gone
His love for his children is gone
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
A father is gone
A husband is gone
A friend is gone
An uncle is gone
A lover is gone
A diplomat is gone
An entrepreneur is gone
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
Yet we are thankful to the lord
for giving us a human
Whose life made us better mortals
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
But we are thankful to the lord
For the light, he left behind
For the bonds of friendship, he fostered
Grateful for his leadership skills
The thrill is gone
Henry is gone
But his footprint will forever remain
On the tarmac of our souls
So today, we return him
to the lord with a prayer;
God be with him till we meet again
in that beautiful shore.
Rest in perfect peace, Macox.
