Skip to main content

POETRY

A NEXT DAWN

After the treaty,
The truce settled in.
The auspices were conspicuous.

Soon the past became evaporated,
Lifting away veils,
Revealing newness
Of gifts celestial,
In a solitude palatial.

The past forever was gone.
It occurred in a way
So terrific
That the finding
Was prolific.
No more deciphering,
Neither precipitating.

The evaluation
Was the new crowned king.
It happened so fast.
It was unprecedented.
The invalidators were thrown
Into that confounded mist.

They behaved brusquely,
Moving around wriggling,
As if they felt prickly.
Yes! They felt prickly.

It was unbelievable.
‘not her!’
Their heads shook
Vigorously.
‘She has just been
Dragged out
From between the
Legs of her mother.’
They wouldn’t have her.
They wouldn’t have her.
Maturity and Experience
Flock together always.
Fingers of owners,
Different and different,
Have before
Lashed her away,
Because of age,
Because of age.
She wanted to say,
‘The juice is inside of me.’
but no ear was ready
to pay attention.
It wasn’t today.
It wasn’t yesterday.

The treaty will be signed
On a ‘morrow.
The truce will follow
Afterwards.
The wealth of visions of gifts
Will be conspicuous.
The past will be forgotten.
The invalidators will
Grumble and grumble.
And still,
To destiny they will submit.

©UZEZI EKERE. 11th FEBRUARY. 2003.

RECONCILIATION

Let us perform
Some simple ablutions.
In the act,
Let us pause,
And lock eyes.
Let us see
Our inner thoughts.
Let us realise
What we want.
We have grown
Beyond the age of derision.
We have seen
Beyond the eyes of a precognist.
Only we can determine
If forever we should be.
Let us gather
The dust of yesterday.
And hand in hand
Let us walk,
The stream towards.
Let us stand at the shores,
And the dust we sprinkle away
-As though the ashes
Of the corpse
Of a bad man-
Our bad memories,
Let it flow down the stream.
Let us perform
Some simple ablutions.
To welcome reconciliation.
You and I,
We fit together.
I could love you again,
I know I can.
And before that day comes,
We have to wash the dirt
Of yesterday.
Wash and wash.
But, a simple ablution?
I don’t see you and I
Performing it together.

©UZEZI EKERE. 11th FEBRUARY. 2003.