Cultural Continuum (Then And Now) Poem by Tony-Cemaluk Egbuonu

That day, today, it was Nkwo Nwankwo!
The song erupted, a nostalgic refrain
Nne gi gwa gi okwu, Nuru ife
Nna gi gwa gi okwu, Nuru ife

Memories of childhood, whispers of the past
Dance in my mind like masquerades at last
Welu ehihe muru anya, Welu anyasi lahu ura
Oo- oo-ooh, egwu nwa, echoes that forever last

As transliterated, it was Newborn on nkwo
Hearken to your parents, heed their gentle vow
Like a ripe mango, sweet and tender too
Be of good behavior, let wisdom be your guide, anew

Before ushering in Nwankwo, that song must be
A reminder of our roots, a cultural legacy
Like a river's flow, constant and true
As simple as that, for those generations, it shines through

And as we move forward, let us not forget
The wisdom of our ancestors, the lessons we've been met
Let us carry the torch, and pass it down the line
Preserving our heritage, a treasure divine