Release, a poem by Femi Osofisan (Okinba Launko)

Iwapele, release me

it is time to offer my pollen to the wind

When the once-sacred shrines fill with vulgar masks

& the sibilating chorus of sycophants usurp the air

When Ogun’s hammer swings in desecrated hands

& wanton carnage spreads in the forge, to cowed applause

When the acid lips of falsehood lick the newspapers

& amidst the spittle, one swims alone

When the fists of power throttle the daily headlines

& amidst the babble, one strains alone

(& we all have our numerous reasons for silence:

we can stand by a furnace and shun the heat pleading that we are deaf to the bellows:

we can stand at peace by a grinding saw with the excuse that it is only morning yet, that we have not begun to chisel ourselves out nor shape the contours of our rage…)

Release me:

in my belly is the foetus of a struggling scream

I wait, tottering, on the horizon of slogans

Release me, the road is waiting…

Femi Osofisan (Okinba Launko)

Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan is a Nigerian professor and writer born on June 16, 1946 in Ogun State, Nigeria, who is well-known for his literary works that criticize societal issues and incorporate African traditional performances and surrealism in some of his plays. His plays often revolve around the struggle between good and evil. He is a didactic writer who aims to rectify the decaying state of society through his works. Additionally, he has written poetry under the pen name Okinba Launko.