Viewing From a Dark Corner

I sat down in a recluse of the bosom earth

I peeped through the tunnel to see far from within

I moved close to wall to hear from rambling voice of loosed hope

I wandered along the bank and listened to low placid voice of river

I ran towards forest to hear sonorous song of birds

But only heard painful sonorous mourning

Only to be told our real enemy is within our walls

We are women treated like orange

Sought and plucked while still fresh

Only to be discarded once the juice is gone

We are suffering and smiling on the terrestrial ground of thorns

Our yells replaced by quiet moans of pleasure

As our body joined the thorns in a great rhapsody of love

Our birds flew from tree to tree in ray shadow of hope

Entertaining the tragic lovers with their sonorous coos

Our neck is rammed to walls like lovers in the night club

Jerking violently like the epileptic automobile of a reckless driver

But in the morning, we have nothing to show for it

We are rather of ignorance and gullibility

We opened our laps for them to rape us

We are gluttons to be flashed with stones

And in turn went away with our gold.

A child does not tell his father the history of the ancestors

But here, we have much in our reservoirs

We read much of Gladys May Casley-Hayford “Rejoice”

We read much of Dennis Chukude Osadebay “Who Buys My Thoughts”

And of Gabriel Okara “Piano and Drums”

Wole Soyinka “Death in the Dawn”

Lanrie Peters “We Have Come Home”

George Awoonor-Williams “Song of Sorrow”

Kofi Awoonor “The Weaver Bird”

J.P. Clark “Night Rain”

Niyi OSundare “Siren”

Femi Fatoba “The Road to Abuja”

Odia Ofeimun “Go tell the Generals”

Are we not lessoned enough?

Enough! Enough of transcend tossing around

We said lets expel the fox

Before reprimanding the chick from wandering

It stands on the dias like eagle hovering over carcass

We sleep for centuries and relish in slumber

Our oath mouth has turned to dog-nose

We long await the relic sustained injury

Injuries of mind, soul, dream and hope

Of the past, present, and generation to come.

                                                   - Mattew Bisi Adewuyi