September 12,2015 Poem by A A Umar Udubo

when your gaze turned dazzling into heavens
you punctured a sad smile on their tear-stained faces
amidst your celestial stars the moon reign your façade
when you whispered the word in the end

you forced a smile and reminded me of yore as a child
I remembered the Kindirmo in a designed calabash
you'd beckon me to sip my innocent share
I understood your meaning and I in turn wore a thin smile
they looked at us and wondered why this act

I saw a shade so grey around your lids
I took your nerveless hand and felt your wrinkled skin
symptoms of cold were swallowing your mood
I offered you food but you caressed my hand and shook your head
I perceived your meaning and shed mental tears

the sad news was preached at dawn
when the wingless harbinger rang on brother's left ear
"Aliyu" he said and I construed the face he made
we succumbed to the powers overhead, declared the words
and released our souls to the funeral ahead of us

September has come again and still you reign
in the Third Millennium and Fifteen
mental shattering blows were stomached
but your absence left a hole
on the heart of your celestial stars

is it a deja vu?
it came running
a series of mental likenesses, a picture rail
conjuring days of yore
memorable mornings when you said father traveled
I grasped it when death is termed a "journey"
a voyage into eternity where you too have gone

still you reign
in the morning brightness
at night when it's bare of stars
I see your trail

I open my eyes and see you everywhere
the way you showed in my dreams
in the trailing clouds and on the calmed sea
you are the sculptured likeness in the moon
Mother, your celestial scions still listen