Tony-Cemaluk Egbuonu

Nkea na amamu ahu jijijiji,
Ikedo mu na nmazi uzo di
n'okpulu ugbo mmili anyim,
...

PROMISE not pounded yam when you can't
pound pounded yam; worst, under oath,
when you can, but compromise instead to pound cocoyam.
...

The prevailing travail—
the relentless trials of life,
what could one have done?
...

The reception, really receptive,
As marketing public relation, was repetitive,
To be solely so; so the trick was to ignore all,
As an ignorant, even the sonorous singing ringing tone,
...

N'okpuru ụgbọ Mmiri

Ọ na-ama m oke egwu n'ezie,
na-ekekọta m na rudder a.
...

However this load, it is an overload,
Whenever there's overloading, there's an urge to offload.
I will rather go off the road,
...

Sincerity reaffirmed, all
In its ramifications,
Verily, knowing and meeting
As the Yuletide was young.
...

THANK YOU,
for all that we shared.
The irrationally-laden meeting,
dry-cleaned with humble hearts.
...

LIKE THIS, before they came,
Shattering, we were chartered,
Chattering; chanting choruses and songs,
From souls for souls, by souls, to souls.
...

Son begets father; daughter, mother.
Doesn't foetus beget all?
Rest in peace, foetus
...

WHAT is this? Wood.

What is it? Where you came from? Where I come from? Yes.
We call it evil forest.
...

Great mother of mothers, most memorable,
Mother of Festac-like festivals;
Of astute kings from old to new, all nebulous;
Of great warriors, the likes of the retaliators.
...

Early into the night, as usual,
The village and the villagers were engulfed
In a solid-black darkness;
Everyone, almost, went early
...

BEFORE the outing and the outcome of the five civil court helmsmen of justice simmer and cool off,
Behold the supplications of the supplicants, the forebears.

Ukpaka Oto deeje;
...

Continue your whisperings in hushed voices;
I did and did not want to hear right,
Or ask questions or request clarifications.
Lest the mother would overhear the ultimate answer;
...

ALREADY, I have many of them, a whole lot.
I don't want any more,

Visible and invisible,
...

My sister, dear Death, last time there,
Rejected you then,
In His name,
So strong and sure,
...

HOUSE of mansions,
Offices and tables,
My file, Please open,
...

YOU, the unwelcome guest
Visiting uninvited,
As thunder, intruding,
Shattering and damping
...

We did not, but he did.
Saw it coming,
On a higher plane he stood,
The luring beckons of greater He.
...