(In Tribute to Ben Longwe)
By Burnett Munthali
In the silence of a world, often deaf to truth,
There rose a voice, a beacon of resolute youth.
Ben Longwe, a name etched in the heart of the fight,
A man whose soul glowed with justice’s light.
He spoke for the voiceless, with words so bold,
Against the tide of oppression, his story told.
A warrior of truth, unyielding, untamed,
Against a system that sought to keep him shamed.
No throne of power could silence his cry,
No chain of fear could keep his words dry.
With every battle fought, his courage unfurled,
An unwavering soul in a broken world.
He saw the injustices that many ignored,
He raised his voice when others abhorred.
No fear of retribution, no thought of the cost,
For Ben Longwe, the fight was never lost.
His pen was a sword, sharp and so clear,
A weapon for justice, casting out fear.
Each word a blow to the tyranny’s crown,
Each sentence a step to tear it down.
Though power sought to silence his song,
Ben’s voice rang loud, and it rang strong.
He spoke for the people, their pains and their woes,
He fought for their rights, for justice to grow.
And now, as the sun sets on his earthly day,
His legacy stands in a bright array.
The voice that thundered through the halls of despair,
Still echoes, reverberates, and fills the air.
Though his body rests in the soil’s embrace,
His spirit endures, an eternal grace.
No government, no force can erase the truth,
For Ben Longwe, you are a voice for the youth.
You challenged the mighty, you stood tall and strong,
Your courage was timeless, your heart a song.
In the pages of history, your name shall reside,
For truth and justice, you stood with pride.
You’ve gone, but your words will not fade,
They rise like the sun, as dawn’s light is made.
Your fight for justice, your call for the right,
Lives on forever, like a star shining bright.
The silence now speaks of the void left behind,
But your voice, Ben, still echoes in the minds.
You are gone from the world, but never from here,
Your voice, your spirit, your mission so clear.
Rest now, Ben Longwe, rest with pride,
For the cause you fought for will never subside.
Your voice will never be silenced, your truth will not die,
For your legacy lives on, reaching the sky.
And in every whisper of justice’s call,
We hear you, Ben, standing tall.
The voice that will never be silenced, still rings,
A fighter for justice, whose memory clings.
