Between the Red and The Green

After Efo Kodjo Mawugbe

between the red and the green
something is happening to me
in this land of our death

when I look at the national flag these days
I hardly see the once shining golden band
that held the red and the green together
I see some white powdery substance

when I look between the red and the green I only see and hear
accusations denials counter-accusations and counter-denials
I no longer see the golden band bearing the black star
I see white powdery substances

I paid a visit to a specialist
in spite of that I still continue to see and hear white wherever I go
don't tell me you don't know what white sound is
ask our good friend of the national symphony orchestra
she'll give you a lesson or two on the colour of sound

these days a whole lot of things are taking place
that go unnoticed between the red and the green
I'll tell you about the sort of things that take place
between the red and the green

when I visit the newsstand
all I see on the front pages of the papers is white powder
when I look between the red and the green I see
people dazed from overdose of powdery substances
they are all dazed from overdose of powdery substances

I tell you we are in for trouble
from the way things are we are all at risk
we will not be able to tell
what lies between the red and the green

I mean to tell you the sort of things that take place
between the red and the green
in this land of our death

Ata Zawulima