It's A Poem About The Brewing War In Khartoum In Time Past. Poem by Joseph Ikhenoba

KHARTOUM

In Khartoum,

Path of the Nile,

1999.

The nest

Of the Secretary Bird.

A click past two.

White skies.

There was chattering

Among pigeons

That our forest

Will be gone.

Whispers of hyenas.

Cold drops,

Splintered waxes

On my spines.

Golden silence

Of the night.

Barking dogs.

I drew the curtains aside

To open the window

Of this boulder

Off my chest.

Barn owl

On a sycamore

Hooting like drops of bombs.

I squinted.

Dropped jaws.

Thumped balloons.

"Is it a trance? "

May be?

I whispered.

Went to bed.

Half dead.

Garland of thorns.

Black widows.

Dim stars.

Grubs and moths.