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 </div><p></p><figure id="attachment_10268" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10268" style="width: 388px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://wordsrhymesandrhythm.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/abiku.png"><img class=" wp-image-10268 " alt="Abiku" src="http://wordsrhymesandrhythm.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/abiku.png" width="388" height="294" loading="lazy"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-10268" class="wp-caption-text">www.facebook.com/WRRPoetry <strong>[Abiku]</strong></figcaption></figure>Announce to the market<br>
of familiar strangers<br>
O’birth crier!<br>
Inform them in the city of the under-sun
<p>Chalk the name of our visitor<br>
on the cheek of Life. Quickly!<br>
Remember, he is wayfarer</p>
<p>Drag the gold shielded ram<br>
to the market place<br>
sound the gong of announcement<br>
let our feet grope the shameful sand<br>
Abiku – don’t go today!</p>
<p>Chant lullabies that shame dirges<br>
When night falls<br>
Abiku – don’t run with the wind!<!--more--></p>
<p>Don’t render mother fruitless<br>
Don’t shame the blissful night of lust.<br>
Don’t spill cowries of tears<br>
on the forsaken granite of false incantations<br>
Abiku, don’t go today</p>
<p>Hmmm!<br>
There is a rumour of your laziness<br>
lingering in the fainting air</p>
<p>So you are afraid of the chores<br>
that firstborns do!<br>
From the river to the kitchen</p>
<p>Afternoon sun unfavourable<br>
Night Chill: cold haunts your dreams<br>
Abiku, the sounded gong<br>
that cheers your birth<br>
is still heard miles away. Why depart?</p>
<p>Abiku, mother ages quickly.<br>
Father’s back no longer hoes a plot<br>
Don’t go tortoise kid</p>
<p>So should we tile your cheek<br>
with tribals that signify your return<br>
after your departure?</p>
<p>Abiku, don’t go again<br>
Don’t go today<br>
Have mercy…</p>
<p style="text-align:right;"><em>Written by: Adedayo Adeyemi Agarau</em><br>
<em>Edited by: Kukogho Iruesiri Samson</em></p>
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 Adedayo Adeyemi Agarau </a>
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 <div class="be-author-meta be-author-description">Adedayo Adeyemi Agarau is a poet, photographer and nutritionist. He has won several awards. His first collection of poems, FOR BOYS WHO WENT, was published in 2017.</div>
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