RAMBLE in the JUNGLE
Irony of Soccer Knowhow (The Irony of Life in Camerounia)
By Wanaku Verdzekov · · The Cameroons
Tags: poem, law, legalese, access-to-justice
In Camerounia, a paradox unfolds,
Where the rules of soccer are easily told.
Citizens grasp the game's structured play,
Yet struggle with laws that govern their day.
What accounts for this disparity profound?
How can the uneducated discern the sound
Of a whistle blown, the meaning conveyed,
While the complexities of law leave minds dismayed?
Politicians draft in legalese,
Creating barriers that few can seize.
The ordinary citizen, adrift and confused,
Finds justice elusive, rights often abused.
Consider a framework, clear and concise,
Where laws are simplified, devoid of vice.
Would justice become more accessible, fair,
If articulated plainly, with thoughtful care?
A level playing field for all, it seems,
Where understanding births empowered dreams.
Could communities thrive, informed and engaged,
In a system where clarity is properly staged?
Reflect on this irony and its weighty implications:
Might our legal structures benefit from simplifications?
For if we cultivate comprehension with intention,
We foster a society rooted in informed participation.
TM
— Wanaku Verdzekov
Reading & grammar
Reading level: Gr 8–10
Understand
- What paradox does the poem describe?
- Who does the poem say drafts laws in legalese?
- What solution does the poem propose?
Grammar focus: the suffix -ese. Legalese means the difficult language of lawyers. The suffix -ese can name a language (Chinese) or a style of jargon (journalese).
Try it: Invent a word with -ese for a jargon you know (e.g. "teacherese") and give two examples of it.
Discuss: Should laws have a plain-language version that every citizen can read? Argue.