My dad just told me about a Yoruba poem called Work is the Antidote of Poverty, that he was forced to memorize while he was in primary school, and being the americanized first generation child that I am I incorporated some of my sociological knowledge into the conversation and said, some people can work all their lives and still remain poor and impoverished, and that it seemed like his school was trying to promote a capitalist work ethic in its students.

He said, that is the American way of thinking. Working is a means of living, thats like saying, one prays all the time and because his prayers are not answered he should stop praying. So just because you work and don’t get rich doesn’t mean you should stop working. I see it reverts back to your ideology as an individual and the way you view certain things, which determines how you live your life— and essentially how happy you are.

I had nothing to say back. Its crazy how your viewpoints and opinions on certain topics can revert themselves throughout changes in your life. One incident can take you back to an earlier stage of thinking, so thought and perception is kind of like a cycle in this here life.

Excerpt:

Iya mbe fomo ti ko gbon [There is suffering for the foolish child]

Ekun mbe fomo ti nsare kiri [and there is sorrow for the child that have no plan or vision]

Mafowuro sere ore mi [Don’t waste your formative years, my friend]

Mura sise ojo nlo. [work hard and plan well now, because time waits for no one]