Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Chenjerai Hove

refuse

refuse

refuse

when the police come
and their whip dances on your back
refuse to yield.
when the scorpions come
and sting your eyes and ears
refuse to comply.
when the world whirls round
in the torture chamber
refuse to let your heart wither.



hear the voices of children
see the colours of our music
and dance in the death of devotion.



when the powerful receive titles
and the weak take crumbs of power
refuse to kneel by the footpath of deceit.
Close

refuse

when the police come
and their whip dances on your back
refuse to yield.
when the scorpions come
and sting your eyes and ears
refuse to comply.
when the world whirls round
in the torture chamber
refuse to let your heart wither.



hear the voices of children
see the colours of our music
and dance in the death of devotion.



when the powerful receive titles
and the weak take crumbs of power
refuse to kneel by the footpath of deceit.

refuse

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère