‘A Verse To The Girl Child’ – short poem by Banky W

What frightens the extremists and really gives them the spooks? 

There’s nothing scarier to them than a girl with a book 

Not a soldier, or a bomb, or a gun, or a landmine 

There’s nothing more dangerous than her enlightened mind 

So they kidnap, and enslave, and try to stand in her way 

And they rape, and oppress and try to make her afraid 

Because they know, that for sure, she’ll grow up one day 

And when that day comes, she’ll be strong enough to bring change 

So respect to the girl child, you’ve got grown men scared of you 

Salute to our future Chimamanda’s, and our Tiwa Savage’s too 

To our future Oprah Winfrey’s and our Maya Angelou’s 

Because we know you will grow, and your success is inevitable 

They can try to fight it, and they can try to deny 

They can kidnap at night, and they can try to terrorise 

But may nothing and no one ever succeed in snuffing out your light 

And that little light of yours will one day shine bright 

They say the truth will set you free; well this is the gospel truth 

There’s nothing more powerful than a girl with a book. 

-BankyW