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*
Bird of
dazzling feathers;
Isn’t through
your cleavage the river of
Life flows
like Nile and Mississippi
Blessed
mistress of beauty,
Powerful indigo
distinct among dyes
Isn’t the
taste of your succulent lips
The dawn of
rebirth miracle
I have seen it
all, mistress
All the
secrets set atop
The castle of
your goddess eyes
Who then says
you’re not phenomenal;
That your name
not wonder spanning
Through the breath
of all ages?
**
From Ebedi hill I traversed thousand miles
Searching for
the songs of your tribe
I wandered through
the melody lane
Looking for colorful
tones of tribute
Befitting the
pride of your lineage’s legacy
Wide into the
wild world
Until I got to
Atiba land
Where the deep
voice of gourd, and
Strident voice
of gong wake the monarch
Into the
blissful smile of dawn.
With your name
glued to my lips
I carried the
drum around telling your tales
To the curious
ears of the bystanders.
***
AYINKE
You the sun
standing on the minaret
Feasting on
the kowtow of gallant mortals
One gold-made
bracelet above
Thousand
necklaces in the fist of blacksmith
Nightingale in
the gathering of birds
Beautiful queen
of Kalahari, star
Soaring in the
galaxy of stars.
You’re the glory
of full moon
Sowed beyond
the mischievous touch of evil men
Moon I say,
bright as thousands
Of sheen star
in the blue sky.
The eyelids of
your eye- arrays of magic
Your gallant
strides- assembly of amorous letters,
Soft skin
craving for touch,
Calling for
the worship of men.
****
Ignorant men
do not blow the horn
Of elephant
for kings. It’s griots, men
Of armpit made
of folklores and history
And if I stand
on this threshold as your knight
Reading the
lines spread through your winsome face
Do not see me
as itinerant bard singing songs of cowries
I hold the pledge
of my song for people
Of noble
source. People like you,
Fulcrum
setting world on moving path.
