We too have danced
To this painful throb
Shed rain, sweat and blood,
Some did paddle through farmlands
Only to watch green sweat
Slouch to ocean sides,
Some groped in liquid darkness
Wrestling the Wilds with fears and qualms
But water is water, and land is land
He who must follow breath’s path
Must leave the beds for the crabs.
Now the flag is white
And we have come back
When canoes no longer sail through sitting rooms
Or Crabs sleep in cooking pots, fireless,
When Crocodiles no longer landlord our quarters
Forcing men to seek asylum in shabby camps
When Fishes no longer perch on trees
Or Oysters sit on easy-chairs.
We have returned happily
Like men whose net has befriend a kingfish.
But all the gold have gone, who took them?
“Go ask the flood,
Maybe they were stolen to Cameroon,” they answered,
Ah! Do gold now float on water,
That it be stolen by ebbing flood?
“Maybe they did, just ask the flood”
Cheih! Fellows, wouldn’t it sound insane if I ask the flood
Who stole my gold and left my plastics intact?
I pray thee let Love lead our steps.
FUBARAIBI ANARI BENSTOWE
Fubaraibi Anari Benstowe was born on the 4th 0f August 1991 and hails from Grand Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State of Nigeria. He is an ardent lover of poetry, history and folklore, one who writes to correct social ills, educate his readers, and Minister God’s word through poetry.
His works have appeared in the “52 years after” poetry anthology and other poetry anthologies, was shortlisted in the Nigeria/Zimbabwe Poetry Exchange in 2013.
Currently a 300 Level Electrical/Electronic Engineering Student of Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island in Bayelsa State, he aims to impact the world positively through poetry.
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