A woman;
turns ill-fated man.
baffled! like the battle ground.
unsettled! like the waist-beads.
sleepless! like the night moon.
for a barren woman;
nothing like night,
not even at noon,
when she visits the Dibia.
A gluttonic-womb;
that vains man's strength,
like a gall;
that spoils the meat,
it sorrows an honey-home.
No wonder a barren woman cries
to the gods that:
'I'm pounding my yam! '
I'm cooking my soup!
don't let me eat alone!
A barrier:
that barricades a career.
A curse;
that spoils a course.
A force;
that quells a quest.
No wonder a fisherman tells mermaid;
'I've cast my net! '
I've laid my hook!
let it catch your children!
An omen;
that brings an hoodoo.
A myth;
that chains the legend.
like a banana peel,
it brings fallibility.
No wonder the hunter tells the iron god
that;
'I've fed my gun! '
I've sharped my arrows!
I've lit my lamp!
don't let me hunt in vain!
A desert;
that chase away the rain.
A pest;
that tax away the plant.
A fire;
that sets ablaze the field.
A drought;
that chase away the gain.
No wonder the farmer prays to the gods
that;
'I've made ridges! '
I've planted my crops!
I've put my stake!
I've made my ban!
Let me see the gain!
And let me live to eat!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem