Pine Tree in Spring by Chinua Achebe

(for Leon Damas)

Pine tree

flag bearer

of green memory

across the breach of a desolate hour

Loyal tree

that stood guard

alone in austere emeraldry

over Nature’s recumbent standard

Pine tree

lost now in the shade

of traitors decked out flamboyantly

marching back unabashed to the colours they betrayed

Fine tree

erect and trustworthy

what school can teach me

your silent, stubborn fidelity?

Chinua Achebe

Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel Things Fall Apart (published in 1958) was considered as the most widely read book in modern African literature. He was born in Ogidi on 6 November 1930 and died in Massachusetts, USA on 21 March 2013.

Beware, Soul Brother by Chinua Achebe

We are the men of soul
men of song we measure out
our joys and agonies
in paces of the dance.

Beware, soul brother, beware,
for others there will be
lying in waiting, leaden-footed, tone deaf,
passionate to despoil the devour.

Take care then, mother’s son, take care,
lest you become a dancer disinherited in mid-air
hanging a lame foot in air like the hen
in a strange unfamiliar compound.

Protect this patrimony to which
you must return when the song is finished
and the dancers disperse;

Remember also your children
for they in their time will want a
place for their feet when they come of age
and the dance of the future is born for them.

Chinua Achebe

Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel Things Fall Apart (published in 1958) was considered as the most widely read book in modernAfrican literature. He was born in Ogidi on 6 November 1930 and died in Massachusetts, USA on 21 March 2013.

Wake for Okigbo by Chinua Achebe ( Ifeanyi Menkiti)

For whom are we searching?
For whom are we searching?
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!

Has he gone for firewood, let him return.
Has he gone to fetch water, let him return.
Has he gone to the marketplace, let him return.
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!

For whom are we searching?
For whom are we searching?
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!

Has he gone for firewood, may Ugboko not take him.
Has he gone to the stream, may Iyi not swallow him!
Has he gone to the market, then keep from him you
Tumult of the marketplace!
Has he gone to battle,
Please Ogbonuke step aside for him!
For Okigbo we are searching!
Nzomalizo!

They bring home a dance, who is to dance it for us?
They bring home a war, who will fight it for us?
The one we call repeatedly,
there’s something he alone can do
It is Okigbo we are calling!
Nzomalizo!

Witness the dance, how it arrives
The war, how it has broken out
But the caller of the dance is nowhere to be found
The brave one in battle is nowhere in sight!
Do you not see now that whom we call again
And again, there is something he alone can do?
It is Okigbo we are calling!
Nzomalizo!

The dance ends abruptly
The spirit dancers fold their dance and depart in midday
Rain soaks the stalwart, soaks the two-sided drum!
The flute is broken that elevates the spirit
The music pot shattered that accompanies the leg in its measure
Brave one of my blood!
Brave one of Igbo land!
Brave one in the middle of so much blood!
Owner of riches in the dwelling place of spirit
Okigbo is the one I am calling!
Nzomalizo!

...CHINUA ACHEBE
(Translated from the Igbo by Ifeanyi Menkiti)

In memory of the poet Christopher Okigbo (1932-1967)

Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel Things Fall Apart (published in 1958) was considered as the most widely read book in modern African literature. He was born in Ogidi on 6 November 1930 and died in Massachusetts, USA on 21 March 2013.