A Nigerian Anthology
on Sabo -Oke (Nigeria), 10/Aug/2012 14:40, 34 days ago
Since arriving back in the UK and trying to get my life back to normal, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. I have put together my thoughts and reminiscences in the form of two collections of poems written whilst serving with VSO.The first is a collection of haiku-style poems. I hope you like them: Another Power CutA collection of Nigerian haikubyLea Knowles1.Lonely airport loungeDull echoes in my heartDesolation Row2.The slap of runway heatKnocks me backStepping into Africa3.Blur of noise and hustlePounding head and pounding heartLooking for an exit4.Cool leafed foyerFiltered consoling smilesSo now it truly starts5.Daily duties donePorter asleep on the stairNo naira for home6.Amid the rage and roarOf ceaseless trafficThere is Jesus7.Freak storm streaks the nightPounding the dust withThe warning of thunder8.Trying to riseAgainst the weight of its pastThis city of rust9.Swarms of okadaBuzzing these crazy streetsDropping and taking off10.City of rustChildren in the guttersFragility of dust11.Red clouds churningChoking life with gritBurying the poor12.Goats nibble at garbageSeeking a decent mealThey have a mountain to climb             13.      Struggling to comprehendDust starting to settleBut will not blow away14.Thoughts of the coming dayStaring downDeep crevasses in my porridge15.Cheeping cheerilyChickens play rouletteBefore the crushing tyres16.Startled infants clutching skirtsPeeping at the oyinboWill you smile for me today?17.Red dust roadStaining my shoesTurning my white shirt pink18.Drawing bolts, turning keysFeel the sun flood inWelcoming the morning19.Yoruba roadMarket women watching waitingSpiders in their webs20.Astride a shaded benchCheating at cardsOur red-striped guards are laughing21.Women from the fieldsHeads piled with brushwoodSway like galleons22.Slow walking through hot airBaking head aching feetThinking of nothing23.Beating ceiling fanStirs languidlyThis viscous afternoon air24.Thick and heavy heatNeem tree flutteringA welcome to her shade25.Frying plantain in the streetThis African sunFrying my brain26.Collapsing into the shadeI melt into my beerSit back and smile27.Sun melts into its own hot skyDrowsy as the palmsIgnoring calls to prayer28.Cattle on the moveFulani amble silentlyAlong the lakeshore29.In hotel poolCooling... watchingCircling eagles watching me30.Eagles circlingTracking their next mealCreating this pleasant breeze31.Home thoughtsShadows spread across the floorFire in the kitchen went out32.Mma picking okraLaughing with her friendWrapped in colours of Africa33.Slow drift of cloudBuzzards scan in hot skyLizard scurries for shade34.Sitting with a cold beerTrying to learn YorubaTrying to stay awake35.In Friday coloursPrayer mats cloak the roadThe faithful pray as one36.Kwara radioYoruba- burblingSuddenly the BBC37.Powerful womenCalling to tease youInto the bush-meat cafe38.Distant thunderOr are the womenPounding yam again?39.Goat’s head soup and peppered yamBlistered tongue flaming lipsSorry-o!40.Pounded yamResting in my bellySo hard to keep awake41.Youths wild and excitedWaving brooms in the airWhile fat cats sit and purr42.Governor’s compoundNew cars gleaming in the sunEach a vote of thanks43.Flash! – blown fuseNEPA’s drunken surgingsHave silenced the appliance44.Ceiling fan fades and diesNEPA can’t be botheredGone to sleep45.A sinking sunFramed with golden lightPours Into my prison home46.Through iron barsI watch the sinking sunSensing the freedom of home47.Bats by the thousandIn fast fading lightFlee the flower garden48.Ceiling fanWhirling cicadaCools the night-sweat on my back49.Another power cutFlashing fuse boxAnother shock to my system50.Ripping the generatorFiring up the lightsFuelling my guilt with noise51.Generator roars at the nightContent to give lightTill we can take no more52.Generator cacophanyEven with finger plugsWrecking my head53.Far above the compoundVenus listeningTalking football in the dark54.Laptop tappingSearching the right keysCandles in the night55.Saving Naija’s forestsHow many candlesFrom a single match?56.Candle gutters in the breezeStalactites drippingOnto my papers57.Sleepless nightsLong hours thinking of homeMosquito whining somewhere near58.Lying under the netYellow curtains billowIn a welcome night breeze59.Night watchmenStanding fast asleepReady for inaction60.Is that a nightbirdA goat or childCrying into the dark?61.Rattling and whistlingIn the deadly hoursVigilantes on the prowl62.New bars at the windowVigilante patrolsNot the same any more63.Packed tight as a fistStill the roads rattle your bonesOn the Kwara Express64.Logs across the roadThey emerge from the bushPolice trap65.Small childrenWaving excited greetingsTimeless as dust66.Roadside toddlersTwixt gutter and the wheelRisk of simply living67.Enveloped in fume and dustBabes wrapped against the sunGrowing up too soon68.Infants crisp and cleanSmall small lunch boxAn angel shaped hole in my heart69.Hot dusty trekPupils run to fetch my bagSharing the final path70.Pouring through the steel gateA flotilla of lemon and limeSails to greet me71.Heavy bulbous skyRainbombs clatters the school roofDrowning my voice72.Midday chokes and clingsChildren of the dust learnTheir country does not love them73.Wanting to know so muchTo follow me to my placeHow do I like their environment?74.Shuffling through gloom and dirtCrammed in benchesSeats to tear your clothes by75.Voices from dark windowsDistracted from lessonsCalling Mister Lea76.Gnats swarm in midday heatChickens seek out shadeBut these classroom walls a cage77.Goat family attends our classSees what’s going onAnd promptly leaves78.Drowsy buzzing classroomShutters slam in the breezeWake up sleepy heads79.Sitting beneath a treeOn plastic chair or twisted rootDiscussing the world80.Released by a bellChildren burst from stuffy classroomsTo get pure water81.At the end of dayRunning to the family stallActions worth more than words82.Cold beerTrickles down my throatWashing the dust of the day83.Sitting on the balconyCool morning airSmall birds flit through the palms84.Short sweet songburstsAmong the locust beansThe birds are shrill this morning85.Short sweet songburstsInside the church hallThe women are shrill this morning.86. Mutilated bodyRipe for peckingVultures wheeling overhead87.Egret peckingAt filth on this backwaterWhy?88.Lifted from a tearless grave,Rescued by her God Small miracle in far-off land89.Thinking of loved onesCan’t send my love in the mailFeel so far away90.On a stave of wiresConstantly changing the tuneBirds bobbing to their song91.Big yellow birdHiding in the tree topBig yellow bird, don’t go!92.Among the egg plantsTurkeys scrabblePecking by my window93.Christmas approachingTurkeys squabble noisilyPlotting escape94.Dredging the wellBringing only wet sandLonging for clarity     95.Exploring temple ruinsSeeking shadeAnd thirst for knowledge.                   96.As they watch from highIn damp forest airWomen make offerings to the gods.97.Voices echoCalling forest spiritsFrom the silent mists98.Calling forest spiritsVoices echoInto the mists of Osogbo99.Dripping pinesBreathing the air of the spiritsFeeling lighter as I age.100.Dwindling daysSo much left to doYet feeling gone already101.Sunflowers dip their headsOr look awayThey sense we’ll soon be leaving102.Dancing to the rhythmsThat feed the nightAfrica never stands still103.Farewell celebrationsHead to toe in African colourFeeling I now belong104.In cool morning sunCrows pick over last night’s partyLike crows everywhere105.Dishevelled risingForgot my overnight thingsPalm fronds serve as a comb106.A hole in my heartLeaving for homeNever to return107.Afternoon sun on my skinThoughts of homeDreading the blasts of winter108.Suddenly I realizeOur neighbours have becomeOur friends109.Sorting through memoriesWhat to take and what to givePacking for home110.Too many goodbyesRoots so deeply sunkThis tree will never die.111.Quiet, so quietSun tiptoes into the skyEven my breath seems loud112.Gazing out to seaBack to his native landSearching a horizon of dreams.