I Am Not Humble: Poem by Ohikhuare Isuku

I am not humble, though
shyness may be my demeanor.
I can not be humble;
Humbleness is a virtue,
Only for the downtrodden,
Only for those whose heads
Are trampled upon by booths.

If you do not greet the elderly
In the morning,
You are not humble,
If you do not fall flat,
To wipe off the dust
From the rich man's shoes
With your tongue,
You are rude...

If you keep your speech stiff,
And do not cower,
In protesting against
Injustice against the poor,
You are rude, not humble at all.

I thus desire rudeness,
Detest the foolishness of humility,
For your feet can't
Find a flat land on my head