The archive
Serener silences beg our scorch
And we grope in muteness
Silenced in the noose of oiled barrels.
We are silent, we are dumb
Obscene winds corrode our silent souls
Scars of bodypress usurp sanctuaries
Of winepress
Serener silences tell our blistered peace
Endgates and bodypresses tell tales of silence.
Tope Omoniyi
EDITOR’S NOTE
Originally published in Nigeria Magazine on 01 Jan 1984, p. 80. This diplomatic transcription preserves the wording and lineation visible in the archived page.