poem04 May 2020 06:14 am
Solomon Uhiara
Her eyes were looking up carrying yellow salt and brown water Her Ankara gown was shredded by the sticks that pointed to another country And as the red flowers were growing on her body the daisies pursued her, springing out of the ground like underground angels in disguise, under white capes brandishing invisible political weapons A door swung open, not by force, just slowly, quietly, as if it was a living thing A long light tip-toed in. It wasn’t too bright for inside it stood a man, his face having different sides, different colors and proportions He was wearing two long beads around his neck, almost naked As if inside of him lived a higher power, a superior manufacturer of dreams When he walked out, his face started to change The trees around started to reduce, their dead leaves started going up and becoming alive The earth started singing, as the air was dancing, the forest was vanishing small, small She saw his face turn into an Okonko spirit,Then into an Egungun mask, into a faceless man, then into a man she used to know, her first husband, his green beards, his long ancient staff that was dabbed in sacred diabolic rituals She called out his name: Bintu ! And butterflies came out of her mouth She cried and a storm overflowed the streams the salt in her eyes folded her tears. When she fell silent, darkness came out from the ground and suddenly shrouded her face When next she spoke, her misty voice pushed back the darkness Invisible fingers started touching her body, his face started glowing, an apparition, invisible hands started working the talking drums Shinning eyes started growing out of the bushes, revealing their hiding places. Silence could now speak The voices that were speaking started to clap, waiting for the scent of new marriage, a new ceremony that will emancipate our kingdom before we are all lost upside down inside this labyrinth.
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