The march to Adwa, at Addis Ababa’s northern gate
BY ALEM HAILU
(Emperor Menilik II)
An enemy
That covets
Your land, your
Gold-bestowed
Natural wealth
And your wife
Creating a strife
Stripping you of
Your liberty
And identity
Is all out
To mar your life!
This blatant aggression
Standing together
It is better we deter.
So, if intentionally
Or otherwise
On you, if
I might
Have posed
A grievance
To date,
I ask apology
Let us bury
The hatchet.
Among us,
An axe to grind
For a divisive wedge
An enemy cruel & wild
Must not find.
Thus, while
In full command
Of your health
If you fail
To march
To the front
I will take that
To the dignity of
Our sovereign nation
And me
An affront.
I swear to God
I swear to God
Up on return
There is
No restraint
My anger
My punitive
Measures against
Such malingers
Back to hold.
Of course,
We need
The prayer
Of the feeble
And the old,
The heavily-armed
Invading army
When we fight
Supper bold.
I assure you
By the grace
Of God
Victory for us
Is what
The future hold.
(The Chief of the provision wing)
Women of the nation
Pull your sleeves;
As provision
Dry food—
Roasted chickpeas
Roasted peas
Dry meat—
If you prepare
It will be good.
Also to boost
Immunity in
The original way
Prepare and ready
Garlic, red chili
And ginger
In a form of
A powder.
(The principal of transport)
Array pack animals
Provisions to transport
From every corner
Of the nation,
The palace
To the battlefront.
S/he who has
A horse or a mule
Must come along
With some hays
For its fuel.
(The master of musicians)
Take on board
Musical instrumentalists
Vocalists, who
War songs that chant
About victory
At hand not hesitant.
(Traditional Health Professionals)
Also take aboard
Women, herbalists
That will nurse
The wounded
Back into shape
Also the recuperating
To fight back
Who help.
(The logistic head)
Our resource gap to fill
While in the battle mill
We have to take along
Bullet swaggers
Ammunition repairers.
Utilizing such skill
Would allow us
With limited resource
More troops to kill.
This way
The cavalry
And infantry
Will fight
About logistic
With little worry.
(Emperor Menilik II)
Let us march
Let us march
To the place of
Showdown
To write
Golden history
Like Golead & David
That has no match!
Let us be
A standard bearer
If united
Freedom fighters
Could a giant enemy
Like Goliad deter.
On my sword
I have engraved
Menilik’s power
Is Almighty God
So behold
Those who pick
Against the peaceful
A sword
Will perish by
The sword.
About colonization
As I earlier grabbed
The import
I had accessed
Enough arsenal
Via the port.
If divide & conquer
Is their aim,
With Ethiopians’
Oneness &unity
I will foil
Their game
They will have
Themselves to blame.
In the meantime
King Aba Jifar
Taking over inland
Maladministration, disorder
Will bar
In such a way
Ethiopians’ chemistry
Will be heard
Wide and far.
The Ethiopian Herald February 25/2021
