Walk Tall
On days when wariness
In attendance as the sleuth
Wherein tiresome call
As attributable to Duty only
Warrants mortal attention
On days when despondency
Shrouds heavily for supererogation
By whose loathsome self chores are meet
To attain a semblance of normalcy
Superintend thine hands
Bewail the task
Supplicate for release
As supernumerary
Tango in wait
Then furtive steps take
When called for account
Postulate
For measure-
And when the deed's done
Walk tall
Correspondent
There was the semblance of a cease-fire
Persons & belongings were on the march
Frames of all sorts carried & were being carried
The sight was one for mortal rejection
Shelled-out carcasses, once home, habitable, now in abeyance
Glare at the stream of passers
by Down at the worldly & their possessions
All in the march, to freedom
Household items make interesting alarming sounds
Musical & jingly
To the footsteps of the carriers
A stark contrast to the ruins-all still & menacing
Groups of fours & fives marched on
Men, women, young & elderly
Chickens, goats & sheep trod along
Some keeping to owners while others sprinted ahead
Transistor radios were the one object curios
The British Broadcasting Corporation had still a loyal audience
Ariels of barbed wire precariously pitched
Dodging them became a dance
Stop after stop, the march, in unison trod on
Membership increasing all the while
Carriers that the marchers had become, abstemious, would negotiate load
And the Stops were becoming
Deliberations were quick & time was dear
TVs, chest of drawers & other furniture would leave a trail
To be followed by other marchers, leading to safety
To shelters of rest & refreshment
Men were dear & those on the march kept up appearances
Women in the lead groups, in haste of departure
Youths mouthing off-on this & on that-of the ghastly trek
In all, the mix was arrestingly proper
Disorderliness, as witnessed in the homestead
Would mean dis-membership of limb & load
As this was not to be attracted to oneself
The march, in unison, trod on
Shelled out buildings were slowly left behind
Red-carpeted roadways now appearing
As the tarmac-lay began to fade
Fine layers of coated dust began to settle
Cow-skinned sandals, once regarded as for the poor
Now provide top-speed footwear for al
l Clay-clad they soon were
Plodding on bumping off portholes
There were roadblocks every now & then
But none manned them as far as the eye could see
They were piles of human remains
The first dead, first casualties
Sightings were loudly acknowledged
Of this & that Displacement Camp
They saw but could not join camp
Wariness was all too clear
Places full, Camp Adjutants said
Move on to the next camp
This was a good few miles away
But not one marcher grumbled
Perhaps there was reasoning
That delay would mean not securing at next camp
Perhaps there was fear
That this one was too close to home
Christians, Moslems & Heathen alike genuflected in prayers
Divinations were made
Leaders had emerged at the onset
Now pointing the way-short cuts
They led prayers
Clammy hands supplicated
Weary heads bobbed
Quaky knees bent
Recording of the trudgers had begun
Numbers that set out must on average, make destination
So weights had to be discarded
Carry only necessities leaders exhorted
The March obeyed to this
Clothes were worn on the person
Three, four at the one time
Better not reach & be naked
Chickens & herd were slaughtered
Roasted over charcoal fires
Sealed in plastic containers
For food on the road
Water jugs were refilled
Of earthenware make
Water welcomingly splashed
On scorched heads & backs
On the road again
Expectant & hopeful
Heads still held high
Legs ready for the trek
My report, as Correspondent
Is on the living only
The dead lie still
And none can speak for them
Becoming
Life is a becoming journey
We prepare for it with open minds
Some will tread her solo
Others will couple along
Sustenance?
Anticipate it!
One sure thing about the journey
It shall be ripe, come adventure!
What bring you for ease?
Beauty? Fame? Knowledge?
O empty yourself
For there's much to garner!
Happenstance
We shall discover & barter
Together
You & I
The journey-
It will take us
Make us
Perhaps?
What, Make You, of Me?
You know me
You have knowledge of me
You know me?
I am gargantuan
Of a magnitude
To a degree, unfathomable
You see me
You have sight of me
You see me?
Perchance, an Introduction?
I am at thy doorstep
On the peripheral
Dotting the horizon
Perchance, an Insight?
Boisterous, charming, delicate
An erstwhile lucent flow
Beaten-tough, voluminous
Stoic as in breath
Perchance, an Input?
The questions are all mine for now
To pose you, my host. Libertine hand,
Allow me this scourge of spirit
Pirouette
Of course, the unexplained
Is simply the unexamined
What if I say
Ma'am
I cannot offend your sense of smell
With that which I smell of now?
Pondering this
You may ask
What is Smell for Ma'am
Or even
What is it that I smell of?
Venturing further
What if I toast
To the persons we love
At different times, in different ways
To the persons we become
At different times & in different ways?
Squinting at me, you may well respond
Aye
Better still
Nay
Take a hike!
Let me dare
To suggest another
To the lives we live
The ones we dream of
While living & loving
Each in his own way
Puff
Ba-a
Who's got a life these days
Who's got love
Truly?
Whom you referring to
Mankind?
I could persist
On Time-
That from the beginning
It has been & so will be
Measuring, till we exit
Though upon examination
The paucity of bodies
To own the above
Lean on the peripheral
Me-think
So what?
That there are few to warrant deliberation
Does not make pall
Thorough insight
Into Man's dailies
What, pray tell
Are you trying to say?
Well, I speak of morals
Attitudes, gestures, appraisals
And of Life's Pirouette
Bugs
Everywhere
On me nails-toes & fingers
In me hair-pubic & otherwise
Picking they are
At me Self
Me very Self
Where they come from?
In pairs &
Basketful
Hardened lot
Unashamedly presenting
Unkempt I now be
Eating at me verve
At first me thought no bother
Not knowing yarrow-like them go be
Season-tide
Off boats
Off Trucks & Planes
Who go rid me off them?
The Dept. of Health or
The Dept. of Justice?
Who allow them here?
Festering pests
Gnawing at me feed
I get to think fast
Me own keeper now I need be
Government me foot!
Why this be problem now?
Me vista saying something
Whispering though
Why you no talk loud?
Me need to hear well
For me to take action
What the people say?
Tardy business
Them Bugs
Why people say so?
Them too be confounded
By Bugs & Government
Everywhere |
Blues
I got the blues
Soul sistah got rejected
Yester-noon at the bank
Scrooge strained his neck
Looked at me ID & heck
Said, him can't make me out
I got the blues
'Coz 'tis not me fault
Refugee here got this Blue Book
A hardback for breaking nuts
Scrooge no doubt had me dubbed
No man's Gal this one be
I got the blues
Saw meself on TV
Outstretched arms all mine
A-begging for life I'm a dare
Tsetse fuzzed me all over
Not a chance I never
I got the blues
Granny me apologies
Warnings I did not heed
Granny me apologies
Fickle me ne'er listened
Is it too late for this Negress?
I got the blues
That a cow wished to be transported
To the White man's land
And this cow was delighted
Granny rung out warnings
But the bells chimed not loud enough
I got the blues
The cow is in the White man's land
And what has she become?
Corned-beef!
Slices of the whole
Feeding varying palates
I got the blues
Pentecostals awash
! That Jesus went to Africa
A timid diplomat
On His return
He is most vociferous
I got the blues
Double Minority
It's about being a Woman
About being Black
And living in another-coloured world
Being a Woman
Created from Man?
Of Him, for Him?
Being Black
That colour so stately
Yet, over-worn?
They say so
Our lives say so
Black soul, Sistah-mine
For the Love of Mike!
Hey-you-listen, Come here!
Paddy:
What's up?
You talking to me?
Paddy:
What's the story?
I know only ones told by moonlight!
Paddy:
What's the crack?
Mammy's apron strings, that's what!
Hey-you!
Fish-drunk my lass?
Listen here!
A-going I am, emigrating
For the love of Mike, Come here!
Black Benefits
My hair-braids aloud! My hair-criss cross of corn rows! My hair-shoulder length wavy! My hair-tightly coifed in a chignon!
Is that you, Soul Sistah?
Is that you Gal?
Butterscotch?
What antics we employ
In the cause of a hairdo!
Succeeding guise
Newfound friends do double takes
Soul sistah enjoys quiet laughter
Some choose a Bleach!
Others, a Tan!
We go for hair-dos!
Black Day
Black Economy
Black Sheep
Black Benefits!
Dear Baby
Dear Baby
These whispered words-for your ears only
Heart throb
Love you loads
As Nature bears us be
You will be you
And me, I
Entwinement in masquerade
Baby mine
Journeying along this bumpy road
Awaiting thee-Change. That creepy craftsman!
What best describes our affair?
You bundle of hope
Unconditional in entirety?
As I tackle the road
So will you, each in our own way
As Nature bid us be
Time together shall continue as precious
Thru eventide accounts
Till Dawn bears us be
Dear Baby
These whispered words-for your ears only
Ganja Law
Hail!
Thou fearless who trod this path
Hail!
My education in law-land bid me hail thee!
Big bro
Fela Anikulapo Kuti
Ganja-willed songs for Change
Big bro
Bob Marley
Ganja-willed songs for Change
Why them two stand out?
Amidst the diverse notes of the one chord
The guttural splendour?
Them not only belt-out in their day
Them belt-out to us, for us, with us
Them Two orientation so unalike
How come them see same?
Visionaries
Them be tha
t Like Madiba
At cost of limb & life
The message for Change must press forth
Fela- Wrangler
Bob- Wailer
One tackled political hedonism
The other, well, the same?
Challenging Federal Democracy
Rejecting Awarded Independence
Them Two had good reason to
The Empire had set the pace
A galloping one, for Change
Them Two differ-with defined Change
Though worlds apart, decreed
Ganja-willed songs to re-define Change
Do I hearsay The Empire strike back?
Zombie
Responding only to programming
Buffalo Soldier
Call to duty unending
Zombie
Camouflage
Buffalo Soldier
Camouflage
Zombie
Imitating the Chameleon
Buffalo Soldier
Applying the Chameleon
Wrangler blasted
Wailer lamented
Them both twitched
In despair
Zombie Law-
Do's & Don'ts
Buffalo Soldier's?
Zombie- against Nature's hype
In steel coloured guise
Universal rage on primary colours
Morn, Noon, Eventide
Marching in unison
Executing orders of others
Baby sitter, Nanny, Mother?
Buffalo Soldier on the horizon
In multi-coloured guise
Past caring 'bout steely rays
Imploring Nature
Daily chores
Equilibrium unattainable
Adapting & improvising
Self sitter, Nanny, Mother
Zombie Law
Ganja Law
Ganja Law is Nature's Law
That which Zombie cannot grasp
How can He, being not of Nature?
Ganja Law is Nature's Law
Embraced by Buffalo Soldier
And why not, being of essence & resort?
Forbidding Nature To forbid
Buffalo Soldier Zombie,
Stop Over & Out
X & I
…Unknowns
For I know not myself
Yet like X, I exist
I am X
X is I
In search of the unknown
We are Constants?
Variables?
X & I?
Then there is Jane Doe
Another Unknown
Along with X & I
She confounds too. Deciphering us
A Challenge for Man since yester-years
Troublesome lot
…Unknowns
About Time Too
I must excel
Having won the uncertain shot at birth
I cannot but now excel
I must excel
Attainment to serve a purpose
And to that end my ability's best
To excel
A must for the Self
The awakened Self
To excel
And in so doing
Exhale
That which breathed me be
Setting this Course on me
Resounding as the tone of breath
Excellent
The Challenge
Dare I
Dare You
To dare
Suggest a Challenge
I am confident
In my stance
As I am
Gargantuan, Imposing
You are as you
Also confident
Your stance though
Appears dodgy
As Man
We have Challenge
Since yester-years
In all we encounter
Man to Man
We can still Challenge
Dominion ours
Wielding strength
We have fought battles
Will be fighting some more
Man to Man
Challenging?
I Speak for Self
Also for Brethren
I stand for Self
Yet not for Brethren
The Self, Arousing
Thus confidence
Mine in entirety
Urges on
Dare on Me
The Dare of the Devil
Man my Own
Dare |