'Mumbasa' - Midnight Tale Poem by Daniel Ojukwu

"‘Mumbasa vuvu kabede',
Lungu kabenda.
'Mumbasa ne yom du ga be de',
Lungu Kabenda"

The chant we hear and grow to love,
The voices echo as from above.
The midnight tales,
On wrinkled lips,
The age-long lores
For oral keeps.

‘Story story…'
‘Story'.
‘Once upon a time…'
‘Time time.'
We do recall the ancient chant.
The moonlight tales for old infants.
Before the ping and distant sync
We grew to know the ancient chants.

Sitting in circles,
Two ears on a bench.
Growing impatient,
As the moon doth arrives.
Firewoods are fetched,
Supper - prepared.
The stream has been robbed,
The spoils… in our pots.
Papa retired,
Mama would too.
But we won't go down easy,
Play the moonight tune.

"‘Mumbasa vuvu kabede',
Lungu kabenda.
'Mumbasa ne yom du ga be de',
Lungu Kabenda"

Tell of the stories that cripple our people.
Create a picture that makes us strong.
Relate the last,
Affect our present,
Create a tale that creates a future.

How did the tortoise get rough shell?
What makes the lizard nod?
Why does the leopard have thick spots?
Under the moonlight, sing it to me.

Where did we come from?
What is our story?
How did we get here?
Under the moonlight, sing it to me.

Sing me a tale, a moonlight chant.
Tell me a story and bless my night.
Sing me a story, after my chant.
Oh dear ‘Mumbasa'- the moonlight tale.

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