To His Beautiful Bride Poem by ANTHONY ANIGBATA

TO HIS BEAUTIFUL BRIDE

They came from the mountains lands
To this place
Asking for your hand in marriage
Saying they have found a pretty damsel
They would want to take home as a wife
If we would allow them all into our compound.
They come with drummers, dancers and singers
And their motaka carried, lots of gifts.
They played their decrepit drums
And their songs, as sweet as the canaries'
So our people gathered
Happily for they loved what they saw.
We received their gleaming gifts and ate
Their food without asking
You, if you truly wanted their old son.
And because we have eaten their food
We gave you out to them
For they kept their hands hanging
Waiting to carry you to their own land.
Then when you were gone, our people sang their frazzled songs
But I kept my own half
For the thought came so fast
That we have exchanged a human being for food.
With people we do not truly know their reason
O' Yemi, we have caused you so much pain,
I can see the river in your eyes
Stretching down daily like divers
Though you are far now from our land
I see you in every thought, in every step,
In every dream that I dream, at night
I see you in every child, given out to dying old suitors.
We have caused you much pain
You and little girls of your kind
Though you were so young to know the sweetness of phallus
We gave you out, exchange you for food.
Daughter of caliph, we are sorry, for anon
They accused you of adultery, lynched you for loving
A young man,
You whole heartily fell in love with, in their land.
We should have learnt, but will still give out children
To old dying suitors as brides, out of poverty.