It was in 2020, during the month of November
How can we forget of course we remember?
The genocidal war officially started
People of Tigray Unprepared, unexpected
It unleashed from there,
the indiscriminate attack on land and the shelling by air
Intended to terrorise, to humiliate and scare
Tigray turned into a killing field
no place was safe, no armour to shield
people were shot dead, bodies thrown
in every hamlet every town
whether Alamata or Mehoni
Axum, Abi Adi, Mai Ayni
Alitena or Adigrat
Maikinetal or Dedebit
Embaseneyti or Seharti
Edaga Hamus, Tselemti
Bizet to Korarit
Enda Selassie to Wolkait
Quiha, Zalaambesa to Ahferom
Shire, Hawzein, Adigudem
Adwa, Samere, Ganta Afeshum,
Mahbere Diego, Adi Daero
Edaga Arbi, Sheraro
Mariam Dinglat and Wukro
Badime, Naeder to Chercher
endless places to remember
Abergele to Mekele
Kola Tembien to Hawzein
Alamata to Tsegede
From Mai Tsebri to Sengede
Gulo Mekeda to Humera
Hagereselam to Mai Kadra
massacred by
The Ethiopian Defence Force,
the mindless army of Eritrea,
the Militias of Amhara
shelled from the skies, Turkish drones and the Emirate
China, Russia, Iran to destroy Tigrai they were all desperate
Al Nejashi, Debre Damo, Axum Tsion had no shield
Christians, Muslims, livestock, moving animals, all killed
In Maryam Tsion went the mayhem
genocide committed in ‘law enforcement’ name
Priests, worshipers, men, women, no one was spared
The carnage left corpses and countless people dead
The sheer terror intensified the abhorrent act spread
people saw before them, their sisters and mums raped
witnessed young boys thrown from the hilly cliff top
in Mahbere Diego where the killing didn’t stop
the mayhem continued, Women and girls were raped, abducted,
enslaved, Impregnated, their reproductive organ, mutilated,
exposed to sexual diseases, traumatised and infected
no clinic with medicine no ambulance around
pharmacies, health settings, demolished to the ground
schools, hospitals, factories, collapsed to a wreckage
Tigrayans were left with no choice but to fight this to change
to stop the chilling massacres and the wanton destruction
the planned systematic war, the genocidal mission
Tigrayans couldn’t watch cowardly, these unprecedented crimes
decided to die in dignity, giving their precious lives
career was abandoned, studies were abrupted, dreams were aborted
Yet, Tigray Tiser, praised and chanted
Today, those are the ones we thank and honour
The dead and the injured the traumatised who suffer
We pay tribute and admiration for the living unbroken,
For the ultimate sacrifice paid, by the martyrs that have fallen
The children of Tigray, the land of a brave nation
The world spoke about them and praised with acclamation
In 2021 July, named one of the six bravest nation
We shall not weep for the brave, when we stand on their grave
Their stories we should tell, their images we would save
Let there be exhibitions and museums, let their pictures be displayed,
There shall be a steel monument, with their names fully engraved
let school children learn their history, why the martyrs have fallen
their bravery must be narrated, let many books be written
let films and dramas be directed, seminars, conferences be hosted
let researches be carried out, image Calendars be posted
let’s rally for the living too, that deserve to be supported,
let’s say thank you for the selfless, who have fought in this conflict
without them today, Tigray would have been extinct!
thanks to all of you, for the unexpected call of duty
to fight against genocide, to restore Tigray’s dignity!
thanks to the family of the martyrs, we are sharing your pain
your children are the source of courage, time and time again!
for our fallen and the injured, although we feel sad
won’t forget your principles, in unison we shall stand!
we would put our heads up, while lowering our flags
we remain proud always, for the dignity you gave us!
we have to bring our land, the occupied and the stolen
the displaced shall return home, the makeshift camps be thrown
we shall not rest until Tigray, its territory is restored,
the struggle must continue whether at home or abroad!
We say thank you to the wounded but unbroken
We say goodbye to martyrs who are the fallen
we promise never be forgotten!
In tribute for these heroes and heroines
by Jerusalem Barnabas October 13th 2023
Tigray remains, as the land of the dignified and brave nation!!
By Jerusalem Barnabas