Effulgence, searing, branding me
My soul parched, yearning to break free
The slithering river, fecund
Teeming with riches, it beckoned. 
A diamond, elusive. 

Contorted at an odd angle
Bowed spine prayed for a miracle
Sifting deep, through the murky flow
My ruddy eyes beheld a glow. 
A diamond, rare and pure. 

Avarice reared greed, unbridled,
Despair coursed within; wits addled
For mine and theirs, beyond this life
To end hunger, grief, disease, strife.
A diamond, I covet. 

Dreams punctured, as my guts spilled out
Hope smothered before it could sprout
A crimson shade glazed the river
As life twinkled out, forever
A diamond, in the sky. 

Author’s note: This is poem is about Blood diamonds, or diamonds which are mined to fund conflicts and wars. They are known to leave a trail of violence and bloodshed behind them.  

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