Tony-Cemaluk Egbuonu

Nkea na amamu ahu jijijiji,
Ikedo mu na nmazi uzo di
n'okpulu ugbo mmili anyim,
...

PROMISE not pounded yam when you can't
pound pounded yam; worst, under oath,
when you can, but compromise instead to pound cocoyam.
...

WHAT is this? Wood.

What is it? Where you came from? Where I come from? Yes.
We call it evil forest.
...

Great mother of mothers, most memorable,
Mother of Festac-like festivals;
Of astute kings from old to new, all nebulous;
Of great warriors, the likes of the retaliators.
...

Early into the night, as usual,
The village and the villagers were engulfed
In a solid-black darkness;
Everyone, almost, went early
...

BEFORE the outing and the outcome of the five civil court helmsmen of justice simmer and cool off,
Behold the supplications of the supplicants, the forebears.

Ukpaka Oto deeje;
...

Continue your whisperings in hushed voices;
I did and did not want to hear right,
Or ask questions or request clarifications.
Lest the mother would overhear the ultimate answer;
...

ALREADY, I have many of them, a whole lot.
I don't want any more,

Visible and invisible,
...

My sister, dear Death, last time there,
Rejected you then,
In His name,
So strong and sure,
...

HOUSE of mansions,
Offices and tables,
My file, Please open,
...

YOU, the unwelcome guest
Visiting uninvited,
As thunder, intruding,
Shattering and damping
...

We did not, but he did.
Saw it coming,
On a higher plane he stood,
The luring beckons of greater He.
...

Terrifying it was really
Trapped in a bucket,
Big and half full
In the convenient room
...

A beautiful eye, if so upstairs, like a dreamful trance, anyone could be hypnotized.

Nose so pointed, like a compass point, if so upstairs, sweet heartful holes, anyone could be punctured.
...

Can serenity ever cease?
Can one being one ever truly cease?
That which was once whole, can it be seized?
Forever lost, or worn like a crown?
...

Ọ nwere ike kwụsị
Otu ịbụ otu?
Nke ahụ bụ otu
Mgbe otu bụ otu?
...

Sweet nocturnal experience occurring in night daylight,
Stealthily panic-romancing victims,
Embarrassing them all
To a point of no return
...

Up it rose
Clad in birthday garb
Took a look at own heap
Quite innocently down below
...

Behold before you a mother,
And father fused in one,
For us and all.
...

Ụnyahụ ka m nwụrụ
Ee, obu mgbe m na-agafe oke osimiri
Ị hụrụ anyanwụ m dara ada
Dị ka ngba ama eriri ukpoo azu na-emikpu
...