Extract from Chris Dahi’s Diaspora Heartdrops
Let he who reads give his own interpretations
to the words of this my tale.
Two brothers, Paul and John decided to leave their home town
and go abroad to seek a change of fortune.
For this they acquired every kind of dagbodagbo travel
documents
and off they set for their adventure.
As the mystery wave of hand of fortune no one can discern,
at the entry port of their destination,
Paul was allowed to pass through but John they had stopped.
“Your documents are not good
to allow you entry into our land”
the officials informed the flabbergasted lad.
“That can not be” yelled the shocked John,
“The one you just let through is my bro
and he has the same documents as me.”
Of course, Paul was promptly called back to accept or refute.
With a pitiful look and a straight face
“I do not know that man” he lied outright
“Just met him in the plane”
“Oh no” said John, “I know I have a problem here
but to deny that we are kin is plain cruel”
So it is that Paul went on abroad to start himself a new life
And his brother John returned back home to continue from
where he stopped.
Now it came about that as some years went by
Paul came home all smack and natty
with a tale of good fortune to tell.
Abroad he says I have a big house and state of the art car.
I also have me a foreign wife and we have us two kids.
Fortune has smiled on me, he declares with a glimming face
and what about you my bro?
“Well says John, I am alright, I too have a house,
a small one though and not so new a car.
I have a wife from our home land and we too have two kids.”
Like I said and will say again
the spin and twist of the wheel of fate no one can ever discern.
Now it came about that as time passed on their mother died
and the twain again have to meet.
Home came Paul with a tale of woe
in a tattered and confused state
His foreign wife has left him,
and as half the large house was in her name
the mortgagers have to foreclose.
The car was the next to go as Paul could not cope.
Now he is embroiled in a battle of custody for the children
who of course do not bear his name.
All he had owned and boasted of
had been steeped in debt and mortgage
and the rest like his children actually belonged to the state.
His brother John on the other hand,
Though of modest means, his house from base to roof
belonged to him. The car yes, not totally new really is all he’s.
His wife and children bear his name
So no one else can lay claim on them.
The question I ask you here is this who is richer of this two?
A man with a million bucks and has a problem of two
or the brother who has a hundred grand
and has just a problem of ten.
The moral here is obvious, it is not the place that counts.
What fate has destined for you, you will eventually achieve
no matter where you are.
Once there is life and health and love
I tell you there is hope.
