Change of Guard

The drums do not stop at dawn—
they only change their hands.
From palace steps to dusty squares
the anthem learns a newer tongue.

Old boots retire at the gate,
creased with years of marching power;
new soles shine, untested still,
promising a gentler hour.

Yet the gate itself is ancient,
iron forged in colonial fire,
hinges stiff with borrowed laws
and dreams that never did expire.

Crowns pass not in gold but silence,
in whispers signed on paper thin;
sometimes through the ballot’s breath,
sometimes through the gun’s cold grin.

Africa has seen the changing—
flags lowered, flags raised again;
hope rehearsed in every vote,
betrayal fluent among men.

The challenge walks with heavy feet:
egos bred in borrowed thrones,
states confused with family names,
treasuries turned into bones.

Power fears the sound of leaving,
for it knows the truth of time:
that no ruler owns the morning,
nor can history be confined.

Courts are tested, armies tempted,
streets grow restless, voices swell;
youth knock loudly on the future,
asking elders to step down well.

Yet within the changing guard
lies a continent’s deep chance—
to teach power how to bow,
to make leadership a dance.

Where exit is not exile,
where loss is not disgrace,
where the leader plants a tree
he will never sit beneath its shade.

The possibility is fragile,
like rain on waiting ground;
but when it falls on honest soil,
a nation learns to stand unbound.

So let the drums keep beating—
not for men, but for the land;
for the day power learns to serve,
and the guard changes by command.

Insightful View

Change of Guard is a reflective political poem that interrogates the complex nature of leadership transition in African nations. Using powerful symbolism such as drums, gates, boots, and ballots, the poem exposes the tension between continuity and change, showing how leaders may change while systems remain stubbornly the same.

The poet critically examines the fear of relinquishing power, the fragility of democratic processes, and the historical baggage that continues to shape modern governance. At the same time, the poem acknowledges the resilience of African societies, especially the role of the youth, who stand as custodians of hope and accountability.

Rather than condemning Africa, the poem speaks from within it—honest, patient, and hopeful. It ultimately presents leadership not as ownership, but as stewardship, emphasizing that true national strength lies in peaceful transitions, strong institutions, and leaders who know when to step aside.