EYELASHES (for Lovett) All around I see the faces of Eveadorned to the craft of the artist.I see them put on smiles and cullout eyes like watersnails, lookingnot at faces but on the ground as ifto say “We want to go unnoticed”yet wanting to be noticed.I screen through these faces and lookbeyond the craft of […]
THE TALKING DRUMMER From your shoulder hangsThe magic that talks the talesAnd sings the tonic solfaA cylinder with delicate animal skinOf distinguished fashionThat makes the double faceAnd well treated leather stringsThat clothe the carved woodThe expert hand holdsThe cornered cudgel of flatButton top that torturesThe drum to talk the talesAnd sings the do-re-meAnd to aid, […]
SAY IT LOUD — I LOVE ADIRE The cheapest and most durableFascinating and ConspicuousTypically designed for us locallySay it Loud — I love Adire.Locally made in the tropicsFor the use of tropical peopleWhose vast majority lives in the tropicsSay it loud — I’m black with AdireDifferent styles could be cutLike it Kampala prefer it ija-OreLove […]
HYMN TO THE ANCIENT CITY OF BENIN Hail renowned City, who with deed surpassed allSo countless warriors defeated, before the City to fallAmidst Afric race, fearless heroes produceIn every combat, shame to opponents reduceStill envied remains, but to the glory of pastPound still are gods, who lots of battle forecastTried shameless ruin, changing times of […]
MOTIVE the doors are open all dayyou may climb in at nightthrough the window whenthe night-watch is asleep you may walk in by the doorat noon when the shopkeeperis smiling to customers andplain-clothes watch your moves the doors are open all dayand whether you enter at nightthrough the window or by the doorat noon you […]
MAN OF WORDS They give nightmares, man of wordsThings you do with bales of wordsLying pompous in lairs of thine condomAnd for the boldness of thine schemesWe survive on those crumbs of powerThe extravagance from thy worddom Hyeladzira A. B. Shaffa EDITOR’S NOTE First published in Citizen on Monday, 24 August 1992, as part of […]
TOWNCRIER Crier that i amrailing the primeand cursing the ultimatei stand like pebblesitting on the carpet of the oceanwashed and littled bythe brush of the current. i sink to rise and riseto sink wailing for allbut hushed by themfor whom i plaintcrier that i ammy cries sicken my earsand, for a season, i resolveto cry […]
ANNIVERSARY This drearyanniversarywakes meto repeatthe stale taleof five cyclesand riddlesof eternity; am a sentrycounting outmisery ingrains of sand: when our yesterdaysare epitaphsand tomorrowsunexecuted willsthrills and drills,and life a longand drab balladof wrinkled days,let the sextontoll the sullen bellsfor a coldanniversary. Samuel Asein EDITOR’S NOTESource: Archiving (Nigeria Magazine, Sunday, March 1, 1970).