Fire! Poem by Garba Inuwa

Oh! How vicious
Is my breath and destruction
On the goods of those
Who misuse me?

At first I rage with
The help of the slightest wind
Which travel to and fro,

Then my arms grow
A bit stronger with
The ethanol I found
On woods,

When I mature
Or I even grow older
I can deal
With my humble enemy,

When I engulf markets
I chew everything,
My tongue licked all
That came my way.

Some hold the grief
Of loosing a brief
Others lament on failure
To protect, while I break
The shackles of the weak,

I see men trotting
Here and there,
Looking for water
To quench their thirst

When in the market
You all look at me
Water in your eyes
Prayers on your lips,

You wonder
On what account I have come
I even take lives
Of chicks and guinea fowl
Ducks and even doves
As caged as they were
With no mercy shown

They shout on my name
Fire! Go somewhere
We don’t need you here
I laugh at their fear
“I will take all you save
Throughout the year”

“Be rest assured
I am no friend
Of any that pay no heed
To my mindful sleep
As they slept deep in
The night”