The Soul Of The Egun Poem by Doris Dzameshie

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Its soul peeped out and looked at the world from the outside in
Its soul sought to see the world as quiet
Its soul sought to shield itself from the drama of reminiscence and uncertainty
Yet it hides in the various shades of color cloth.

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Else the earth will cry out for fear
As the sea roars for support
And the wind stings out of frustration
While the sun shines in defiance

The Egun must not fall in the market place
It knows that it cannot die, yet
Cloth me in various shades of color cloth
Aso oke, Ankara, Lace, Brocade
Oh, the Egun has fallen in the market place and there is nobody to pick him up

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Olodumare should not see the disgrace that is the market place
He must not see that the children are walking naked in the market place
Where are the gate keepers of the market place?
Oh, the Egun has fallen in the market place and there is nobody to pick him up

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Olodumare should not see that the children are hungry and have no food to eat
Where are the gatekeepers of our culture?
The gate keepers have fallen asleep after busy doing nothing in the name of shame?
Oh, the Egun has fallen in the market place and there is nobody to pick him up

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Where are the gifts Olodumare hid in the earth to feed the children?
You dug it out and gave it away in exchange for bread and pottage of lentils
Where are the gatekeepers and rain callers?
Oh, the Egun has fallen in the market place and there is nobody to pick him up

The Egun must not fall in the market place
We will have the courage to tell the Egun to get up and speak words of wisdom
Who will have the audacity to tell the Egun that the gatekeepers must not sleep on their watch?
Who will have the courage to say we are strong and cannot be broken
Oh, the Egun has fallen in the market place and there is nobody to pick him up

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Where are the gatekeepers of respect?
Where are the gatekeepers of humility?
Where are the gatekeepers of hope?
Where are Olodumare' s gift tokens of his love for humanity?

The Egun must not fall in the market place
Where are the industrious children of Olodumare?
The time has come for the Egun to dance again in the market place
The time has come for the culture that fears Olodumare to stand up and say
"The Egun shall dance again in the marketplace"