JENNIE IFEATU

Blood is the river that flows Stabs after stabs From filial swords Shots after shots From our supposed protector's guns Tears is the stream in which we drown Bellies empty While our fathers sing Humpty-dumpty sat on the wall The very ground that swallowed our umbilical cords despise us So we run From you, from them, from us To lands green seeking the gold rush We once had gold but it's now covered in rust Maybe we should head to the mountains To get closer to the clouds To yell in it's ears And ask; Whose ewe did we steal? Which god's sacrifice have we mortals eaten? That has rendered us countless times by vipers bitten That has made our lives less in value against cattle or perhaps beetles Whose sacrifice have we eaten?

In a country far away I was raised Cursed is growth Will the younger generation break this oath? That was taken on the altars of sacred weaved deceit Hear our fairytales Not of fairies with tails But of lions who eat cubs Puppies being mauled by giant dogs Question it not. Its a norm Else you 'd be a lifeless form Of how the rain suppresses the beach That its spine is glued and does not toss How feet cause seed to be eternally burrowed into the ground Saving grace has refused to be found Sniff! Sniff! Stale is the smell of our air Water no longer quenches thirst Stunted we are Sunlight burns our sight Will this seed ever sprout? Loud silence would not have us discern vision or sound.

"We have come to a stage where we don't end up in the kitchen anymore. We are taking over the world, that is why we have come into even your villages to get you informed. Empower yourselves to get to where you desire in life. Always declare yourself a proud feminist, Thanks", she bowed and allowed her slim fingers pick up the sleek silver tab where she had been reading from.   The crowd erupted into a thunder of applause. "Nwanyi ka ibe ya', a thin woman yelled in a shrill voice at the top of her voice amidst the crowd. The anchor, a lady in her late fourties walked in elegant strides in her pair of stilletos to the podium and grabbed the mic then made few announcement. "Oyibo dizikwa too much. We should be allowed to go now", a fat sweaty woman behind the first row grumbled. Some of the participants were already making their way to the door. "No one should be in a hurry to leave, we will be taking photographs after now and ...