In Benue, Nigeria Died. Poem by Ekwueme Kelechi

If mouths have refused to wag
At the innocent killing of souls
The pen will never kowtow
Quite unfortunate, only few lips have determined
To whistle life into the air
And with them the ink flows

For the killings in Southern Kaduna
Kill a cow and let its blood spill
Let it fertilize the field
As recompense to their wicked deeds
Give some to the birds
That they may merry

For the killings in Enugu
Kill a cow and let its blood spill
Send noise to the day
Send it forth now
That she may know no sleep
Until it takes its sabaoth to war

For the killings in Plateau
Kill a cow and let its blood spill
Let its blood water the streets of Plateau
That it might serve as a memory
To children yet unborn
Who shall fan thy bravery

For the killings in Taraba
Kill a cow and let its blood spill
Kill, kill to make them stop
Stop them with all within thy power
Bring those fleshy demons to a halt
With both human and beyond-human
hands

For the killings in Kogi
Kill a cow and let its blood spill
Let the blood make love with the rivers
Let them marry and give birth to wrath
Like a volcanic eruption
Let them sweep the land of this savages

For the former and recent killings in Benue
Gong your metals and let them speak
Speak for the tombed posterity in Benue
And speak against the maiming and genocide at work
If their brother above has refused to obey
Then hold not the blood's anger
Leave it! Let it obey

(c)EKWUEME KC,2018.