Tuesday 10 April 2012

Agwu

With my left hand
I offer to you
This sacrifice
Agwu,
So your raging rams
Will spare my kneecaps
And the kneecaps
Of my offspring,
And spare the kneecaps
Of those I love,
And the kneecaps
Of those who love me
When we venture outside
The sanctuary
Of the good gods.
 
Ahhh!
Agwu,
Your pets arrive.
The vultures perch
Atop the anthill
Eyeing my sacrifice.
The tortoises crawl
Nearer and nearer.
The rodents smell my sacrifice
And come running.
 
On my sacrifice
I turn my back now.
I retreat now
To the sanctuary
Of the good gods
Where I dwell.