Wrap This Message in Polythene Bag

Femi is a poet with four published collections of poetry. Three of the four have been self-published and available on online media.

wrap this message

wrap this message in polythene bag

(for kofi awoonor)

wrap this message in polythene bag

for there is rain without

do you not see tears flood earth?

yet king's words must hearing ears

must lash like whip backs of 'kill mongers'

trigger-happy spawns of devil himself

will they sleep?

will they find sweet slumber

who garroted sobriety right on her bed?

shield this message from ravages of time

for it must travel across new dawns

to plains of promises of hope

where earth is brother found

and bullets are pellets of stories told

no! no! talk not of another song of sorrow

seal weaverbird's beak, you must send it away

for its droppings soil our earth, poison our manure

ah! there is storm at sea, protect message well

for it must find hearing ears of deaf bloodsuckers

tell ¹àràbà to gird his loins

this flood has claimed ²arère- body and homestead

death that takes king's horse parables king's horseman

therefore may we make our pen our walking stick

wrap this message in polythene bag

for there is rain without, tears flood streets

1. A tree
2. A tree
3. Both used in the proverb, ‘àràbà tún’ra mú, odò ń gbárère’ meaning one should be alert so one does not experience misfortune that has befallen another.