By Jok Gai
There is one day,
When the Sun shall refuse to set over Khartoum,
Confluence of the two Niles
And over Juba, a gently sloping landscape,
Sandwiched between the Lado and Kujur Mountains
Until the Southern Sudanese and Abyei have cast their last Referendum ballot
There is one Day,
Only one Day
When Southern Sudanese and Abyei will stand vigilant,
And ready to defend the future
Until the last ballot counted confirms the arrival of a New Nation
January 9th, 2011
There is one Day,
Only one Day
When the bright-starred flag shall be raised
And Kiir Mayardit, the man in a cowboy hat,
Stands and salutes in solemn silence,
The Southern Sudan flag taking up its rightful place among the flags of nations
January 9th, 2011
There is one Day,
Only one Day
When Southern Sudanese and Abyei
Will sing a national anthem with a passion
Enough to awaken the sleeping elephant and the ant alike
January 9th, 2011
On this Day,
This one Day
The world shall hold Southern Sudanese in great respect
For no people have gone through 50 years of bloodshed
And remain steadfast believers of love and peace,
Invoking affection in their trails
On this Day,
This one Day
The world will watch:
An impeccable out-pour of talent
A potential economy turning kinetic and dynamic
January 9th, 2011
On this Day
The child will be a child again,
Not recording her father’s political speeches over the weekends,
but running around in parks and curious about computers
The birds shall bless the land with their singing,
And the tourist shall pronounce her blessings upon arrival
In the New Nation
It shall be said, “All are welcome” and
It shall be felt all are welcome
The entrepreneur and the professions
Shall become the new wheels, liberators, veterans
Of a successful development story.
© Jok Gai: October 13th, 2010