Tale Of Okonkwo Poem by John Chizoba Vincent

When Chinua Achebe presented you,
we all marvelled at his powerful gut,
we saw an elephant among mortal men;
he planted an iroko tree in our minds,
he made us see through your eyelid.


Your heels barely touch the ground,
The night once died in your palms,
The sun goes blind seeing your rugged face,
Your songs sparkled the feeble stars at night;
When you fell with your own cutlass dangling,
We retained our mouth with its stride.


You fought nature's inevitability gut.
Chinua Achebe carved a hero in us
man's speed was at your brave fingertip.
At a fist of your hand, many die to rise no more;
a tragic hero who choses his course of action.
The most fearful part of you, is your Weakness.


Umuofia awaits you, great Okonkwo!
They want to see your bushy eyebrows again,
The wide nose that gives you a severe look.
The wrestling ground awaits you for bone cracking!
We are not concerned of your weakness.


Too proud and inflexible you were,
Clinging the traditional beliefs and culture.
But here, you died in us a weak man,
A thought that once killed you when alive.
The gods won't judge you again concerning
The death of Ikemefuna after his redemption.


Umuofia awaits on your return, Okonkwo!
We can beat the rain and sun together,
We can re-write our past with the future.
Chinua Achebe won't be ashamed of your
Braveness in his mind after your creation.


(C) John Chizoba Vincent
From_ a_ pen_ refusing_ Frustration