Sena Poem by Padmore Enyonam Agbemabiese

SENA

(for Sena my daughter)

Sena my child, my daughter, my all
keep the dream safe in your loins
keep them in alder flowers among the bougainvilleas
sanctify it in the fertile soils of hope
with the sun rising falling on your face
hope will give birth to giant hugs

how sweet things would have been
were we to live in that kind of world
for us to live together
how much smile we would have sown
and gathered between the rise of the moon
and the setting of the sun

oh how I wish we two together down here
would share each other's breath till sunset
and when my eyes fickle down the lane
blurred with age waiting for the shroud
your charm would spark fresh life
into my heart, my being to cheer

and when at last I'm done
I'll welcome death like raindrops
upon the breast of patch earth
and looking into your eyes
I will lay down my strength
like dewfalls glistening
in the light