INITIATION

I sit half awake, half amok
Carried away by the chants
Of empty scary black masks
Droning chants of nineteenth century druids
Seasonal migrants to our lands
Coming with the birds to breed
Souls and life taken with them.
On the day gboya* and I made four
Exchanges of souls, oaths cursed
Dust mixed with the ceremonial broth
Cooking at the square, now four days
Humans used to skin drums
Bones made in to khalils^
remnants end up as bodily markings
Away to a place strange
Where dementors are harmless
And back through an interswitch
here am ushered in to manhood.

* - masquerade in Nupe (A Nigerian dialect)
^ - A Jewish flute

MOONLIGHT TRANSACTIONS

Tonight would be full moon
Anticipations are high; anxiety lurk in street corners
Foot paths are busied all day
Though farmsteads receive less tend
Guests sojourn from afar; palm trees break early kola
kegs leave as souvenirs, cocks come to roost early
And hearths shall be without fire
Things would move as whirlwinds
And the moon's ugly face stare
Its gaze defiling the night sky
With uproar set agog downstairs
The village square blossoms with exuberance
Only the young and old be marked absent
Even the King swirl but for a moment
And in his entourage, another damsel when he leaves
The moon's burning desire sets loose
His radiant face adulated
Mirror for plenty a damsel
Freed from the mother's fiery watch
Only for the night's dance
Many to be given off after now
Cowries to be counted on their heads
And libations poured for their sake
Not until a tiger spots the game
Commotion borne in another compound
Turmoil brought to roost after sunset
Hatred gone to the porter's place
Strengthened, now carried by the gazelle
Full of zest, cheated to the game
Denied only by a potful of cowries
bribe already set ahead
Deal sealed after nightfall
The coveted object off to slavery
Dignity for the womenfolk soiled
Swept under the raffia mat
Fresh sap of love, sublimed
Elixir for the rampant gazelle
Slaughtered on the alter of lust
Twain pairs of unmatched legs
Nailed to a soiled matrimonial bed
Another death victim deboured

BOY STORY

I met a boy of school age

Who ate up his heart

Bound his mind, and gave it up to hell

What was his dream?

He wanted to be fearless, immortal

Revered amongst Skulls, Black Axes, Mungikis and Sea Dogs

Carried away to terror's lofty high

But got tied to the hangman's stake

Already signed up on death's toll