Eclipse Of The Season Poem by Rex-mayor Ubini

(In memory of Mike Ofere)

The red letter day was waking and yawning.
The carols were rising to their highest pitches,
singing our souls to celestial ears.
Our pots and plates were smiling happily,
making mockery of leashed chickens.
We your nieces and nephews,
were on the know that you were stretched
on a bed of distended ailment.
Yet, we were happy like every other children,
anticipating to put on our glad rags and visit friends.
We hoped the joy of the promised child,
would free you from the chains of sickness,
when wishes bring to you good tidings of his birth.
But without a rat-rat on our doorbell,
our smiling sky was raped with wails and gloom,
when the news
of your eternal flight,
came to us as a bombshell
on the wings of breeze and sadness.
And like an angry wind,
it swept away the joy of the season
from our homes.
The throat of the knell of your parting day,
was filled with bong and boohoo.
It yelled so loud to silent our chimes and jingles of the time.
Mr. Santa Claus couldn’t wipe our tears.
Chickens were the first to wish us
happy Boxing Day.
Yet we were neither happy nor sad,
because you left us with no good reason.
The waves of our ocean refused to leap.
You left us to the eclipse of the season.