Expecting the arrival of a king, we have
been waiting in sun and rain staring at
the horizon for the stirring of a head.
Days have passed us standing, left
our hope stale despite cool winds
from new directions blowing our way.
Now we can care less about patience
but must reinforce our resolve
with the assurance of experienced messengers.
We while away months and years singing
to keep our spirits awake and active
so as to witness the spectacle many hope
will come with a massive flood of blood.
Several times the rule of succession
has been broken by strong hands
and none of the princes of the patriarch
can claim right of succession without a war.
That's been the bane of the land, sacrificing
so many contestants for the emergence
of one usurper after another - those with
the closest claim suffer imprisonment
or premature death from torture.
Still it's our custom to wait for the arrival
of a king whose dominion we built into a refuge
& with trembling hearts do not know whether
we'll be sacrificed to clear the way he will take
to step over skulls of those who lined
the way to his accession.
We cannot tell what the horizon hides from us
but which we expect anytime, cramped as we are,
standing at attention in sun and rain and with stiff necks.
Tanure Ojaide
Tanure Ojaide (born 1948) is a prolific Nigerian poet and writer. He is noted for his unique stylistic vision and for his intense criticism of imperialism, religion,and other issues. He is the author of six books of poetrty, including Labyrinths of the Delta , The Blood of Peace and The Daydream of Ants . He is two-time winner of both the All-Africa Okigbo Prizefor Poetry and the Association of Nigerian Authors' Poetry Prize. A memoir, Great Boys: An African Childhood , was recently published.
been waiting in sun and rain staring at
the horizon for the stirring of a head.
Days have passed us standing, left
our hope stale despite cool winds
from new directions blowing our way.
Now we can care less about patience
but must reinforce our resolve
with the assurance of experienced messengers.
We while away months and years singing
to keep our spirits awake and active
so as to witness the spectacle many hope
will come with a massive flood of blood.
Several times the rule of succession
has been broken by strong hands
and none of the princes of the patriarch
can claim right of succession without a war.
That's been the bane of the land, sacrificing
so many contestants for the emergence
of one usurper after another - those with
the closest claim suffer imprisonment
or premature death from torture.
Still it's our custom to wait for the arrival
of a king whose dominion we built into a refuge
& with trembling hearts do not know whether
we'll be sacrificed to clear the way he will take
to step over skulls of those who lined
the way to his accession.
We cannot tell what the horizon hides from us
but which we expect anytime, cramped as we are,
standing at attention in sun and rain and with stiff necks.
Tanure Ojaide
Tanure Ojaide (born 1948) is a prolific Nigerian poet and writer. He is noted for his unique stylistic vision and for his intense criticism of imperialism, religion,and other issues. He is the author of six books of poetrty, including Labyrinths of the Delta , The Blood of Peace and The Daydream of Ants . He is two-time winner of both the All-Africa Okigbo Prizefor Poetry and the Association of Nigerian Authors' Poetry Prize. A memoir, Great Boys: An African Childhood , was recently published.
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