NANTE YIE

Dip your beard in water

While that of your neighbor

Burns…they said…

Our kinsman has been

Swallowed up

In another’s fire

The dirge singers

Raise songs you penned

As if to forewarn us

Before sunrise

Fiada Fofie Ba!

Woakɔ mfikyire mpofirim dodo!

Their voices break out

Through the still sky

And call us, your children

To the town square

Dazed, 

Weary, 

Sad

We will douse our beards

In tears

Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor

We will douse our beards

In tears

As the travelers carry you home

We will sing your praises

On our candlelit march

To the river

Where

Kutsiami will meet us 

And upon your wish,

Ferry you across.

#Rest in Peace, Prof. Kofi Awoonor. 

You will be greatly missed.

DUSK

You’d hear

My laughter

From afar

Taste

Its sweetness

In the air

Long before

You reach me

And when

You finally get here

You’d see

That

I chose joy

Although I’ve lost

All the weight

I gained

From kelewele binges

And ice cream sprees

Although my skin’s losing

Its silk

And pain leaves my forehead

Creased

You’d find me seated

Content

With joy

Come join me

As I watch

The twilight from

The rooftop

Streaks of orange,

Flaming red

Tinge of gold

Coloring my passion

In the evening sky

I sigh

Deep inside

The beauty

Of sunset

Mirroring my life

Join me celebrate

A magical end

When you turn

That corner

And head towards

Where the heavens

And I commune

You’d know

I chose strength

Although my breath

Is labored

Half the day through

And I’m too cold

To keep my voice

Steady

Although my joints

Creak

And my nights

Are void of

Good sleep

You’d find me

Huddled up

Tough

With strength

Come join me

Beat drums

Under the moonlight

And watch the giant owl

Fly mysteriously across

The star-filled sky

With its snowy feathers

Teasing

The silver clouds

And tickling

The dewy wind

Join me

Make a wish

Upon the shooting stars

When you reach me

At the horizon

You’d see me merge

With the sea

And while dying

Live fully.

I MUST CRY

My 

hands 

Have been

 Bloody And 

Sparkly all at once

Precious stones stained

With Indelible blood

They came To spill

I must cry

Watch 

Me pet lions

And sip Sweet 

Wine from our vines

Cushioned in valleys.

Fresh waters and trees we 

Treat as gods - Beautiful sunrise

That hits my skin and shines it 

So bright it blinds you

I must cry

See 

Young 

women and 

Men Instilled with 

Morals they come here 

To break with their lies

And they turn around

And call us savages

I must cry

Wives 

Buy hunting guns 

And go down on their knees  

Handing them over to their husbands 

We give them power; we tell them;

“Come home with game, my love.”

And we fuss all day in waiting

Yet they say we are fools nd 

Come preaching untruths

That breaks the equality

We know

I must cry

Our 

Children

Hold our culture

Up high in their songs

In their dances in their 

Breath and baby-speech

Watch the mother tap rhythm

Into her sleeping child Watch 

Her coax him into walking

“Taa-taa” She says: Rhythm 

In our growth And they say 

We’re backward

I must cry

Our 

fathers 

Till the soil

Their sweat grow 

with our crops and

we share In communal 

Love. I take care of your itch

And you take care of mine. They 

Come and talk of individuality

And break our homes

I must cry

The 

Old warriors

Grooming men

To protect and not 

Destroy. Our old Queens

Feeding young girls hard-boiled 

eggs They must swallow whole, Yes 

Teaching them to nurture the delicate

Fiercely. Like the wild cat Transporting her 

Cubs to a safe haven by picking them with her 

Fangs yet they are not bruised - Amazing!

We are wild and gentle, brave and modest

We are Africa and they say 

It’s dark? I must cry

See 

I pushed 

Through debris 

To rise to this height

They stuffed me there

Burying me so deep I 

Wondered what they  

Were afraid of

And now I 

Know 

So 

I must cry

They must hear

What they fear

My voice

Africa’s 

voice

HIS ROBE

Running

Stumbling

Falling

Crawling

Skin scratched

By thorny weeds

Battered

Tattered

Clouded

Shrouded

Tears streaming

Down a hollow laugh

Mud on feet

Soot on hands

Dirt on dirt

Growing hurt

Screams lodged

In a stuffy throat

One lonely street

One dying lass

Arm stretched out

Straining

For 

The hem

IN THE HEART OF THE SUN

In the heart 

Of the sun

My heart 

Radiates

The warmth 

That

Pierces through

The chill

And 

Heats up your

Numbing fingers

Look up 

At my frame

In the heart 

Of the sun

My smile

Exudes 

Golden rays

That yellows 

The sunflowers

And leaves

 The river 

Glistening

Like diamonds

Look down 

At my reflection

In the heart 

Of the sun

My breath

Is the light

That hits

The greens

And makes

The mountains

Glow

Feel me

All around 

You

In the heart

Of the sun

Is me 

RED WINE

It is Joy that tiptoes in through the backdoor

 And steals its way into abandoned rooms of

 My heart and I wake up doused in smiles.

 It is love that spins out to the front and

Flaunts its wings, leaving microscopic

Particles   giggling   into   the

Darkness

Of     my

Stomach

It is Love

And joy

Mingled

In  a  glass  Of  Red  Wine.