Thursday 29 September 2011

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral

              I

“Tell me, tell me, tell me
Dear grand ma,
What took water upstairs
Without limbs?”
“The coconut.”

“…two brothers
With the broadest faces?”
“The sky and the earth.”

“…kpum kpum gem gem?
“An antelope
Galloping uphill.”

“…uchakiri gbam gbam?
“Even a fool catches
The butt of a wisecrack.”

“…twins incommunicado?”
“The twin-pieced kernel.”

“…bully of children
Before their parents?”
“Hunger.”

“…god’s own towel,
Undriable in the sun?”
“The tongue.”

“…what the partridge
Is railing about all alone
In the woods, full throat?”
“The woman burden.”

“…tree with deepest taproot
…unbreakable drum
…unhealable wound
…two yam cutlets soused in palm oil
…the smelly but sweet,
    bearded bank
    hirsute grove
    near yet far
    implausible beaut
    canal of life
    unlikely victor?”
“I’m afraid, my dear
You’ll find that out yourself
When you are grown up
And wiser.”

“?”
“!”

                   II

puker of life
author of being
habinger of death
trespasser of boundary
            urinator, perforator, inseminator

tempter of the pious
sanctifier of the cursed
enslaver of the free
conqueror of the mighty
corruptor of the holy
empowerer of the frail
voice of the voiceless
myopia, utopia, dystopia

sans cullote extraordinaire
wolf in sheep clothing
robber in clergy collar
spear in worm camouflage
honey in vinegar potion
vinegar in honey lotion
mutant, militant, adjutant

the virgin’s nightmare
the damsel’s daydream
nemesis unbound
shoulderless but headed
vociferous even gagged
organ, Caliban, Taliban!