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Centuries After our First Meeting at the Bank of River Niger Printable Version PRINTABLE VERSION
by Olumide Olaniyan, Nigeria Aug 13, 2004
Culture   Poetry

  

He said yes, I said yes
He said no, I said no,
He rejoiced and I grinned
He grimaced and I wailed
He devoured the meals
I washed the plates
He drank the wine
I scrambled for its cans
Scavenging is my idiosyncrasy

He sailed to my territory
I cosseted him and made him my king
I visited his province
He pauperized me and tagged me serf
I told him about my strength and showed him my muscles
He showed me his ideas and displayed his acumen
Now I know
Why the pendulum of power resides in his abode

He was frail but adamant and proud
I was sturdy but complacent and submissive
He had triumphed over nature
Burrowing roads through the insoluble rocks to sojourn ahead.
I had perambulated around the my earth
Limited by the rivers and stagnated by the rocks
When I became fatigued, I worshipped my impedes
I had hoped my misty eyes would attract their mercies.
Accepting my drawbacks as wicked hand of nature

I came here today because he asked me
I would be there tomorrow if he requested
I ascribed all the knowledge to him
Just because I was lazy in my head
He even told me of our sameness
Yet, my father was his father’s serf in his land
I had also diligently served him
And taught my son how to serve his son

I accepted this kowtow
Since our first meeting at the bank of River Niger
When he sailed thousand of miles to explore my land
But now I know
That unless I stand up
And seek my path to the outside
I shall continue to be what he says
I have waited for so long
And I have continued to wait
This is the annals of my tattered being.





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Comments


Akinwole Philips | Apr 29th, 2005
bitter truth

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