DIDACTIC:"FLESH AND BLOOD" BY EDWARD S. KAMARA

We are flesh and blood,  

Not the titles we carry,  

Not the crowns we wear,  

Nor the beautiful lies we tell the world  

To convince it that we are never broken.

Beneath every smile lives a story,  

Behind every laughter hides a memory,  

Some hearts are bleeding without wounds,  

Some souls are drowning without water,  

And some people are dying while still breathing.

Look at the man in the suit,  

He may command a thousand voices,  

Yet struggle to silence the noise within him.  

Look at the woman wearing a beautiful smile,  

She may be fighting battles  

That even her mirror cannot explain.

We are flesh and blood!

The king bleeds red,  

The beggar bleeds red,  

The rich man cries,  

The poor man cries,  

And when the night embraces the world,  

Even the strongest have moments of weakness.

So why do we measure humanity by wealth?  

Why do we decorate people with titles  

And strip others of their dignity?  

Why do we build mountains between ourselves  

When we are all made from the same dust?

We have mastered the art of judging,  

But forgotten the language of understanding.  

We condemn mistakes as though we were flawless,  

We demand perfection from imperfect beings,  

And expect others to be strong  

While refusing to acknowledge their pain.

Some were born into privilege,  

Others were raised by poverty.  

Some inherited golden opportunities,  

Others inherited responsibilities before childhood ended.  

Yet neither chose the circumstances of their birth.

Tell me,  

Is the blood of the wealthy sweeter than the poor?  

Does a president's heartbeat sound different  

From that of a prisoner behind bars?  

Does a professor's tear carry more meaning  

Than the tears of an illiterate mother?

No!

We are not our possessions.  

We are not our positions.  

We are not the applause that follows our achievements.  

We are human beings,  

With fragile hearts and unfinished stories.

And perhaps the greatest tragedy of humanity  

Is that we know how to build machines,  

But have forgotten how to understand emotions.  

We can send rockets beyond the atmosphere,  

Yet struggle to reach the hearts of those beside us.  

We can communicate across continents,  

Yet remain strangers beneath the same roof.

I have seen strong men break,  

Beautiful souls lose their direction,  

And innocent hearts become suspicious of love.  

I have seen people wear happiness like clothing,  

Not because they are happy,  

But because the world has no patience for their sadness.

So, before you call someone weak, remember:  

You do not know the weight of their battles.  

Before you condemn someone's past,  

Remember that your own future remains unwritten.  

And before you place yourself above another,  

Remember that the grave makes no reservation for titles.

One day,  

The suit will return to the wardrobe,  

The crown will lose its owner,  

The money will change hands,  

The applause will become silence,  

And the names we fought so hard to protect  

Will become memories whispered by strangers.

What will remain?

Not the size of our houses,  

Not the number of our followers,  

Not the power we exercised over others,  

But the humanity we showed  

When nobody was watching.

Because beneath this skin,  

Beyond these titles,  

Behind these carefully painted faces,  

We are all carrying something.

A little hope,  

A little fear,  

A little love,  

A little pain,  

And a heart that sometimes needs saving.

We are not made of stone. 

We are not immune to suffering.  

We are not above one another.

We are simply human.

We are FLESH AND BLOOD!

©EDWARD S. KAMARA 

-Sierra Leone

"Flesh and Blood" by Edward S. Kamara is a philosophical-didactic poem that explores the shared humanity of individuals beyond social status, wealth, titles and material possessions. The poet reflects on the emotional struggles, vulnerabilities and unspoken pains that people experience regardless of their positions in society. Through rhetorical questions, contrasts and reflective expressions, he condemns social discrimination, prejudice, materialism and the tendency to judge others without understanding their circumstances. He emphasises the importance of empathy, humility, compassion and respect for human dignity, reminding readers that power, wealth and achievements are temporary, while the humanity we extend to others leaves a lasting impression. The poem ultimately advocates equality and understanding, stressing that beneath our outward differences, we are all human beings with fragile hearts, personal struggles and an equal capacity to suffer.