Sweet melodic bird
immortal in poet’s minds; songs
sweetly orchestrated in eardrums
at the fragrant bush behind
Silver moon sailing and smiling
across the ever waving trees’ fingers
the song burst from a tree’s hand:
chook, chook….
pioo, pioo, pioo….
all in a crescendo chuckling
of night’s nightingale’s clout –
clucking notes of mellow
“aplomso” my apothesis
thou had thro’ thy voice rendered
me “aphasia” wish I, o’ wish, wish I
could envelope your songs in an
earthen pot container forever where
when I need it: those songs of a lover
crying out her heart for love:
O’ nightingale
sing more songs of love, for
sorrow smitten souls to mend
whose hopes ‘d been sapped
but theirs: persistent love
twinkling, twinkling every star
Obinna Chilekezi
EDITOR’S NOTE
Originally published in Citizen on 15 Jul 1991, p. 44. This diplomatic transcription preserves the wording and lineation visible in the archived page.