As Tomorrow Unfolds
The clouds shielded territory
Sitting by the fireside
Listening to tales of Kwaku Ananse
Foretelling teetering stories
Fears
of
Tomorrow.
We,
Children of the village
Gird around the fire
Become a coterie of kindred spirits
Ready to soar above
Over this blanket of apprehensive
Providence.
We
Are witnesses; vinegary,
Rancorous watchers; as our fathers
Come home without viands, our mothers
Gaze, unwelcoming, our grandfathers
Go the way of all flesh; and there is smoke
Up in the air.
We chomp on the last sugarcanes
Our fathers brought home a fortnight ago
And throw into the smouldering fire
Their unsavory jointed fibrous stalks.
Hefty smoke of powerful mettle
Gloom the skies with a message
Ascend higher and higher; besiege
Those golden doors and diamond windows
Of giant castles.
Of resplendent palaces – built from our parents’
Long-drawn-out labour.
Our arms clutched; we make
Pacts with the ever-glowing fire:
that until the smoke returns with a message,
we shall not slumber.
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Witches
I keep those late memories
In the cavernous closet
Of my brain; those
many times he died. A painful
Death. Uncle’s death was my
Last research on the thanatology
Of mankind.
And it came to be:
the corporeal make of mankind
comes to an end; moment
body and soul are put asunder.
His last conscientious words
Too late to save his dying self
Protuberance of dancing smell
The scent of buzzing palm-wine
Revealed years of taciturn orientation
His forefinger pointed at the void,
As he vociferated:
— They put barrel in my stomach —
Then he slept. The longest sleep ever
Of his lifetime.
Moments after,
The birds arrived to feast
King of them all the Vulture
Scavenging over the rooftop;
Whoops of felicity, din of madness.
Memories of Uncle circle in my face.
++++++++++++
© Geosi Gyasi
Image: Abspires40