Teeth sparkling white, eyes twinkling
This man is so charming!
I blush with virginal grace; his eyes devour my shape
I see raw desire and hide my face
For the first time I’m conscious at the state of my dress
My favorite dress
My young flourishing curves his eyes caress
But he does not reach and touch; as I expect
Instead he takes –
My hands away from my face
Shows me a pool of water – I see me!
Gods! And this one is small and fits in my small fist
Can he tell my heart is already his?
I want to be beautiful for him
He calls me his Nubian queen
And gives me things that belong to a king
His cultured baritone takes away all my reason
I just want to please him
So I lay on my back, welcome his weight, part my thighs
And give him my heart, my jewel, my life
He takes me over completely; is it hypnosis?
Or ignorance or virginal innocence
No matter; he changes my rags to real clothes
Takes me from my parents’ mud hut into a real home
They complain; but I do not listen
More shiny things, toys that speak called mobile phones
I learn his language; mine is no longer acceptable
Shows me not to eat on the floor; he says ‘bring it the table’
Tells me to raise my head in the presence of men
Except him; he owns me then
I just want to please him
And I speak like him; I’m so cultured
What does a little rudeness to my parents matter?
They are stuck in the past; this man is the future
I am happy; I think, and I laugh fake laughter
Slowly, ever so slowly, everything begins to shatter
The clothes he gave me he takes back; replaces with rags
Says my nudity is perfect
But the strings and ropes he makes me wear now are plastic
The sex is much more violent and graphic
A camera’s always in the room
Videos; for an uncle named YouTube
I wear hair that does not belong to me;
And I just want to please him
So I learn new things; styles, so I can tease him
Please him; because he stays away; more and more
Says my breasts are flat, I make them firmer
My thighs are too fat; i make them thinner
‘Your native songs are old!’ he screams. ‘Play something newer!’
We eat food with funny names out of nylons and paper
They taste very sweet; but I now am fatter
I see myself in the mirror; I do not know me anymore!
He used to be worth it; but now it’s just harder
And he’s stopped calling me his queen; that makes me so sad
Names like bitch! Ho! Silly hooker thrown all over the place
And when I complain; he laughs and says ‘It’s what you deserve.’
Isn’t that you in the video, dancing nude with no reserves?’
And I tried to please him
It took me all over the world; from the little room in
Which we used to be intimate;
Shared me with the world through the internet
Now I cover my face in real shame
Shedding late tears over lost innocence
I go back home; but it’s not home anymore
It was not me he wanted; it was what my people had
Giving them whisky in return for their land
Making them drunk; stupid and envious of each other
Now they have carts that move with no one pulling them
Stereo systems that allow me no rest
The noise is so scary!
What happened to the beautiful silence?
When I complain or talk, they thank me for all I sacrificed,
The beauty of machines and material wealth in exchange for a human mind
It’s all my fault…no, I was a victim
A victim of that manipulating bastard called CIVILIZATION
Written by: Seun Odukoya
Edited by: Kukogho Iruesiri Samson
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