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Cement powdered papa's face
Mama's perfume was firewood smoke
No line fell on a pleasant place
Against their daily toils, they were broke

Daily, mama will die and rise
To count her amongst the living, papa will hang in debt
Accustomed to this, fear looks him in the eyes
He has walked all the pathways and depths

Mama was strong, papa was stronger
Their heartbeats counts when he smiles
They rose and conquered his hunger
For his happiness, papa will walk a thousand miles

Mama sold her wrappers, even held loans
So that he could go to school and read book
Papa cleared his path,lest he dashed his foot on stones
He was startled, all his misty eyes did was look

Prayers from mama and papa were his only amulet
As he journeyed to becoming a man
Growing up isn't a product sold in the market
It is a culture, a product of a plan

At last, the calabash of destiny favours him
His head will swell and neck is reed
In the city, his cup runs over the brim
In the village, mama and papa suffocates of needs

Papa and mama heard rumours from the wind
That their son is drunk from the hardwine of wealth
At least a reply to their messages will be kind
At least for papa's turbulent health

He measures his wealth by the size of his harem
Those that eat elephant meat are striken with amnesia
When told about his parents "forget about them"
Yet he builds mansions in Europe, America and Asia

Mama will use tears to chase flood from her hut
Papa will wrestle the fangs of illness with heartburns
Mama will sing painful songs and cry out her guts
If only the moon and stars can reach out to her only son

I was on my own, minding my business
Just patching my fragile heart
I so hated love, God is my witness
I knew love was a mistake from the start

I've know love was a burden to carry
Tethered to my job and life, they were all I had
My mates in love went on to marry
I was far from ready, then came Richard

He came to the picture, preaching the love sermon
I laughed him to scorn and severally turned him down
All men are devils, he was more like a righteous demon
At least the best devil I knew around town

My heart made a lot of sacrificial adjustments
My mind leaned on the pillars of his manifesto
I felt we were just meant
For each other, and we were good to go

Fast forward, its been seven terrible years
I've been suspended on an orgasmic whirlpool
Same old Devil, my eyes still swam in tears
Richard! You are a fool, but I'm the bigger fool

Tell me what good I haven’t done for him in life
Yet he ran with my money and dumped me in agony
After six abortions, he left for Ghana to get a wife
But one good day, I took a decision on my balcony

Anger drove me to gather intelligence underground
So I traced him to a rented apartment in Accra
The door wasn’t locked, I heard noisy sex sound
Walked calmly to the room stepping on pant and bra

His wife was screaming in ecstasy, I picked a knife in the kitchen
Went back and stabbed him uncontrollably on his chest
Goose pimples all over his wife like a featherless chicken
I used the bloody knife to put her to rest

She was the only witness to what went down
I pictured the scene until I was empty with no soul
Immediately I flew out of town
Only God can forgive my heart, this heap of coal

I remember
in pool of my tears and his blood
I cried
DIE! RICHARD DIE...

Nneka stands on a stiltlike shoe
In the dead of night
Nneka stands almost nude
On a lonely street in GRA
Looking so fresh and hot
Smoking like a chimney
No holds barred
Her eyes dazzling flags of availability
In this city lacking pity
She bleeds unending sorrow
Enough to drown tomorrow
Wondering if ends will meet
It's seven minutes past one
She's waiting for a serious customer
To quench this thirst of curiosity
Clinging to her sad smile
Clutching a nearly empty cigarette pack
Tonight, she will attempt something
She has never done in her life
Time was taking its toll
Sweating from anxiety's strokes
All of a sudden, an SUV pulls over
Towards her direction
He wond down, staring straight
Into her surprised eye-balls
He appeared to be stung out on booze
And a strong smell of alcohol
Hung on her nose. He drunkenly said
"How e go be for the night"
She felt fear in her spine and walked out
She walked into the night
The darkness swallowed her
He alighted calmly and staggeringly followed her
He yelled "excuse me, excuse me... oya wait na
It's dangerous standing alone here. Night urchins
Will devour you, and take turns on you"
Worried about her safety, she replied
"Please take me out of here, I'm not a LovePeddler"
She led him to his car, suddenly he threw up
He was indeed in his whirlpool
In her confusion, she heard voices in the shadows
Immediately she dragged him to the passenger sit
He was totally knocked out, she grabbed the keys
His voice rises, muted with fatigue
"Thank you and God bless you"
Starts the engine, many thoughts ran through her mind
"Where do I drive to" she asked
"Anywhere, go anywhere " he muttered
Then he woke up lying on a bed...
To be continued

Cynthia is forty-three and single
She knows a single bracelet doesn't jingle
I'm short of sympathy for her
Days have crept up on her

Cynthia knows the night
She has built a bridge of excuses
On the wide hump of the night
Searching for the black goat at night

Cynthia knows, "breast wey done fall done fall"
But she has made a huge campfire
On the bank of her regrets
And she warms herself bedside it

Cynthia ignored the lizard on open ground
Now she's chasing it inside tall grasses
Her wardrobe is a rainbow of ashoebis
She has caught enough flowers to start a garden

Cynthia knows night hands are strong
In the region of the skin and value
She has read the handwriting on the wall
It says "A night is a day's child"

Cynthia prays as night shuts the door of suitors
Which water can wash off the dark hands of night?
A miracle husband is born on the lobe of dreams
Maybe the shield of fasting will survive the fangs of the night

When owls cry at night
Tears drop on palm fronds
They blame the fingers of the night
That pushed down a star

Looking at the kings mouth
Who can trace prints of his mother's breast
Titus crossed the wooden bridge
Turned around and burnt it

Titus is just a cockroach
He rose and ruled the chickens
Not without the Foxes as bodyguards
But Titus betrayed the foxes

O! Oga Titus your shame is too long
Your palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits
They set a table and fed you
After the last bite, you bit their fingers

When owls cry at night
They know what pepper knows
Pound it, grind it, dry it
Pepper will remain inseparable from its character

His demise was a black cloak of agony
Hung on the sick faces of Bethany
Jesus appeared, his miracle must follow
The news lit up the faces misshapened by sorrow
But never fall for the accompanying fanfare
Be not fooled, the killers were also there
Some beneficiaries of his death were part
Of the rejoicers, with hate lodged in their hearts
And if you ask me why did Jesus weep
I will tell you that he saw the deep
Souls that camouflage faces but heart of rock
I'm sure they were present while the party was amok
To the debtors, you already have my sympathy
Some heads must have boiled during the party
What about his deputy who moved up to his table
The keen eyed dude won’t be comfortable
In four days, a lot of water passed under the bridge
A resurrection story can make one's heart cold as fridge
Especially those having his properties under their arms
To those kinsmen, the news rings an alarm
To his sisters, the news is breathtaking
But Jesus saw beneath, the sleeping dog awaken
So Jesus wept and resurrection came forthwith
Be careful Lazarus, there are serious things to reckon with

When love sprouts its stubborn head
Your bedsheets and pillows will be thorny on bed
Until you reduce your heart loads
Until you conquer the misery of the crossroads
Before the mirror, I clad my heart with a gown of courage
"Na man you be", I console my image
Have no fear for Nkechi and her taste
She's just a product of copy and paste

I shall look Nkechi in the eyes
And tell her I love her
And tell her to marry me

But Nkechi’s shoulder is colder than North Pole
My words will drop into the black hole
She's a gorgeous goddess but lacks a smile
Love grows tough on the manure of her heart
How can my blooming balloons of love
Camp on the thorns of her heart?
Am I ready to roll stones from base to summit?
Nkechi’s wahala, I'm humbled by the weight of it

How do I look Nkechi in the eyes?
And tell her I love her
How do I tell her to marry me?

To toast Nkechi alone is a big trouble
Her heart is a heap of giant rubble
I can't stand her devilish grim
But I have come to the edge of my dream
Her heart reads "do not tamper"
Even if I am burnt by the flames of her temper
My soul is toughened by the raw flint of hope
I'm resolute to walk on this tight rope

And I will smile as I shall look Nkechi in the eyes
And tell her I love her
And tell her to marry me

Abi no be man go marry her?
Even if she rides an SUV and I don't own a car
Don't worry, I've bundled my poverty into small folds
I'll borrow a suit, pluck a flower and act bold
My flesh, spirit and soul are ready for this task
To receive her heart and love, all I need do is ASK
I have gauged myself from hair to my sole
It's my love for Nkechi that fans the fire in my soul

I shall look Nkechi in those flamy eyes
Handover the flower with "I love you"
And say "will you marry me"

The long arms of the night stretched
Stones were so kind to hold my head
I dreamt of a runway of angels
I looked further, God wasn’t there
Gabriel lumbered off with a giant package
He flew past me under the great weight
Tears welled up in me, flooded my eyes
I muttered, “The violent taketh it by force”
So I grabbed Gabriel by the waist and took him down
I yelled “I will not let you go unless you bless me”
I had always known that it was stupid to be a gentleman
We both struggled on the ground, it began to vibrate
Then other angels began to come towards our direction
They were very strange and of different colours
They just kept coming as I tightened my grip on Gabriel
Then I saw Michael coming with a white horse
He came with a legion and a spinning sword
Once more I yelled, “I’m just a worldly man eluded by grace
Michael hung over us, his sword was still rotating
As if on a cue, other angels began to clear the stairway
Slowly I muttered "God has given up on me"
Michael said "God sent me to bring you"
At first I was glad to ride on the white horse
With a host of angelic choir to accompany me to paradise
"But your mansion is not ready" he said loudly
Half bread is better than none, my mum once told me
My mum was right but her cold tears will forever haunt me
She will hold her breasts and roll on my grave
I slackened my grip on Gabriel and shrugged my shoulders
It's too early to go to the house of the light
I still owe the earth, I have unfinished businesses
No wife yet, no seed, a truckload of dreams
All I ever wanted was a package from the heavens
If my mansion isn't ready, please let my package be
Finally I let Gabriel go, but not without a message for God
As I waved them bye, my head began to spin
I woke up sweating in bed, a bit terrified
I said "God is indeed here and in the astral realm
Then I remembered Jacobs dream and the stone
I put the blame on that cement I call pillow
What if I woke up limping?
What if I woke up with a change of name?
Should I rename my room Peniel or Bethel?

If you search for a man
Who thought freedom fighting is beans
Go to the iron bars of kuje
And you will see a tough prince

My Calabar friends know
Meek dogs don’t make good sales
My oriental brother should know
Revolutionaries don’t have good tales

He should have read the sign post
“Shit no get bone but if you match am you go jump”
He hid in the land of the queen
And ran his mouth like a bad pump

Yes I know a tough head
Who cursed down brimstone and fire
He fanned the embers of hate
To his kinsmen, he was a messiah

Maybe the poor prince didn’t know
That a stubborn vulture gets beaten by rain
If only the tough fool wasn’t so deaf
He wouldn’t have been crushed by a train

When you dance on quicksand
Remember; don’t sniff what you cannot eat
The ocean never swallows
The leg that has no contact with it

PEPPER’S FLOWER

(Brother David and sister Peppertua in a room, David tries to sexually arouse Peppertua his fiancée)

David: Go and ask the suya man by the junction
Without giving test, his business won’t function
As we match to the gate of wedlock
Please don’t fasten your aperture with padlock
You claim your garden still holds its flower
O! Peppertua pity my knees and my eyes that shower
My restless feet yearn to test the depth of your river
If truly it is shallow, you hold my trust forever

Peppertua: The year is 2016
My love, just relax and listen
For 27 years, I’ve been holding this clean slate
After we tie the knot, I will serve you this food on a golden plate
This oil well of mine has been untapped since I was born
With the eye you can tell which is a ripe corn
Brother David! 3 months is not 3 years
Just dust your knees and wipe your tears

David: It’s is natural for my groin to boil
A small yam is used to recognize a fertile soil
What I’m asking is just a small, mini, minor… test
It’s a soothing balm to calm this internal tempest
My fiancée, I need to know you and you too know me
Don’t worry; hot pepper soup is eaten slowly
Peppertua: Hot pepper soup is not rushed.
David: It depends on the throat that it is flushed…
Peppertua: And you think I’ll fall hook, line and sinker?
Remember what happened to sister Yinka…
David! A restless foot will land on a snake pit
You need to put a knife between love and lust
If you love me, you will wait for me

David: Rubbish! Rubbish!!
That flower in there is a debt
You want me to be calm when I haven’t explored your depth?
What if your garden is full of bush thorns?
You think forever will be a cure for my heartburns…
To be continued

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