SILAS ABAYOMI

SILAS ABAYOMI

AFRICA! AFRICA! AFRICA!

Africa-home to Nile-

earth’s longest river,

second largest landmass

after Asia;

a centrally located

geo-political confine

nestled by four

continental waters:

Mediterranean Sea,

Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,

and Red Sea.

Africa-a home to

1.2 billion people-

most racially

diversified continent in

the universe,

an abode to one-sixth of

world’s population.

Africa-the land of ancient

kingdoms and empires-

some that survived to this day,

land of Pharaohs, mummies,

pyramids.

Africa home to multiple and

varied geographical features:

Sahara and Kalahari Deserts,

the open grassland of

Horn of Africa to the

Eastern corridor

with wonderful elevations.

Africa-home to extraordinary

biomes of highlands, un-equal valleys,

deep-inch tropical rainforest,

and natural zoological

gardens;

the Safari-overland journey-of

game viewing from the great

East to Southern Africa,

world largest wildlife reserve.

In west or sunset are

eye-catching landmarks-

buildings, ancient cities and

towns-Ile-Ife, Benin, Gao, and

Timbuktu,

with relics and institutions-the

Sankore University.

In east is Ethiopia-

the land of Sheba-

a continuously inhabited land

of over five millennia;

in the central is the second

largest rain forest on earth-

home to eleven countries of

multiple nationalities.

In her are natural phenomenal,

which predates Christianity

that made Africa a unique continent,

in Africa is Egypt-first world power-

source of human civilization.

In Africa were kingdoms and empires

victim-land to several world powers,

later European laboratory to

experiment colonialism,

epicenter of trans-Atlantic-slavery,

land shared and apportioned by

non-natives for centuries.

The land that sustained Greece,

built Rome, created wealth for

European lords for centuries,

her wealth other people

shared and looted,

her strength non-Africans

maximized to build their

homes,

her lands and resources

they took away from her

by force.

Her sons and daughters,

ferried across Sahara Desert

and Atlantic Ocean to serve in

unknown lands;

land Christendom and Islam

fought to control its soul,

land of un-ending wailing.

Her breasts-source of un-ending

milk-

her womb-life that sustained

many for centuries,

Africa-hand that baked cakes

for many to eat for centuries,

her back-crèche that carried

several people across rivers,

streams at no cost.

Her pains-joy and happiness-

it became for many,

her wailings, like tambourine

it served to others,

her discomfort gave

comfort to others.

WOMAN: EVERY HOME ALTRUIST

Everything in her

serve the good in others,

her daily activities promote

joy and happiness of fellow

humans.

Early in the morning,

her concern is her

household,

throughout the day,

her interest is about

home front’s welfare

At night she takes stock

of services rendered,

her mind she turns to

super intelligent calculator

that take all details of daily

activities.

Her heart-inner room-

becomes a spread on mat

for everyone to lie,

her abode she makes

public square and courtyard,

the temple everyone visits.

Her milk-literal and

symbolic-

she gives to everyone

as nourishment;

her breasts the apple

non-seasonal fruit

every living dine on,

yet never run out.

Same breasts-her soul mate-

upon sighting or touching

elicit joy no money can buy.

Her tummy-the palace-

beyond description,

a multi-purpose mansion

every soul will hire for

nine months.

Her specially designed

door,

all-purpose-door-

through it seed of

life is planted,

by means of it same life

is delivered.

Her back the eternal abaft

that carries and supports

load of life.

Her legs mobile wheel and

the vehicle of life,

her hands-she use to

feed the nation-

same hands are the

repository for the

codes of love.

Her tongue-where wisdom-

resides-

her mouth-bedrock of

smiles;

smiles with potential to

stop a war,

nuclear arsenal

can’t accomplish.

Smiles that define love and

explain love,

smiles that cement love,

smiles the gateway to peace.

Woman-symbolic tree of life,

multi-purpose-palm tree-

that gives what no other

trees have.

Woman-in you life resides,

woman-through you

life is nurtured,

by means of you-life is

sustained, preserved, and

protected.

You are more than gold,

you are more than silver,

you are more than copper,

you are more than diamond,

yes-you are more than emerald.

Woman-the symbol of LIFE.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

From inner room to

open field,

from kitchen countertop

to office desk,

her travails remain the same.

Everyday she tells stories

that draws tears from hearers’

eyes,

unceasingly, stories that elicit

sympathy-she relates to her

listeners;

beyond description account

on inhuman treatment never

run out from her mouth.

Unending pains and sorrows

from society created and

sustained evil-

violence against women-

dossier she keeps;

her take home is violence,

her companion is aggression and

sadism.

Every direction she turns

violence envelops her,

every community-she resides-

cruelty and savagery-

gifts she receives.

Everywhere she lives-

conservative, liberal, strictly and

non-religious, close, open,

traditional or dotcom society,

she lives, grows, and dies in

violence.

At home-punching bag-

she has become in the

hand of uncultured man,

sex-satisfying-object-

she is before a

libido-controlled-stallion.

Rape she suffers continually

from abusers-mostly known-

incest-her captor-subject her

upon,

just as society blames and

condemns her for the evils

that befall her.

Violence against her has no

limit,

violence against her has no

border,

insofar she is biologically

identified as a woman and

distinctively feminine,

pre-birth-infancy-girlhood-

adolescence-and-elderly,

cycle of society prepared

abuse, she undergoes.

Physically-she is tortured,

sexually-she is assaulted,

molested, and violated,

emotionally a she is injured

and damaged,

economically-she is denied

empowerment, made a pauper

to be dependent on

man in perpetuity

Unfriendly custom and practices-

honor killing, dowry violence,

mob violence are her share

and inheritance;

unpleasant-yes-

disadvantageous position

such as pre-natal sex selection

abortion, female infanticide-

she finds herself in most

societies of homo sapiens.

Her biologically configuration

mankind keeps exploiting for

economic gains,

her sexuality-good for nothing-

son-of-Adam turns to

automated teller machine.

Her womanhood,

nature-created-honorable

tool-of-pleasure-and-procreation

mankind has turned immoral,

desecrated, and profaned;

her rights-inalienable and

constitutionally grantee,

continuously come under 

attack by hostage takers,

forced  displacement,

systemic rapists, sex slave

owners,

and forced pregnancyagents

Will all men and women of

goodwill around the globe

keep quiet for these evils to

continue?

How long will our daughters,

wives, sisters, nieces, mothers

be viewed from binocular lens

different from their males

counterparts?

This is the time to

Declare War on

Violence against Women;

Let “Peace on earth

and good will to men”

applies to Women.

THE INK IN MY BLOOD

Speak your mind,

tell your story, and

write your history;

turn your blood to

ink of life,

through your stylus indite. 

Make your blood write 

that you may live,

let your fountain pen remain

eternal companion,

make it talk in your behalf;

your Dip and Ballpoint pens-

sink in your blood-

paint them red

to give messages of life.

Turn Roller Ball, Fiber Tip, and

Gel Ink pens to coding agents

of society’s DNA and RNA,

today’s  events let the pens

code with your blood-

let the blood replicate,

clone, and reproduce

today for your tomorrow.

Put red cells

to work-

hire them to

carry your sayings to

desired destinations,

white cells-please-

train to defend you against

evils in the society,

platelets-instruct to shut down

traitors’ mouth, and plasma

teach to draw you to people

of like minds.

Whatever is your genotype,

whatever is your rhesus,

it makes no difference,

ink-of-life-

make out of your blood;

put your blood to work

to perpetuate real and

historic lives through

documentation.

Even in death,

people will say

your blood had spoken,

your blood had made history,

your had won battle of life,

your blood had created imperishable

testament.

THE GOLDEN MOTHER

In her tummy,

I lain for three hundred days,

a single, but multi-purpose  room;

there I slept and played

there I ate and bathed.

A blanket that warmed me in winter

the linen that refreshed me

 in the summer,

a protective cover of all

times and seasons

from harm and disease.

A gymnasium of every sort-

where I ran and skipped,

where I relaxed 

when wanted and desired.

Where I changed body position,

whenever necessary.

Her discomfort was my comfort,

her varied and numerous pains 

gave way to my happiness  and

joy within.

Her groaning, I care less to know,

her overweight, the load I passed

over to her,

her edema, my waste she carried.

Her arms my couch and

sofa of three years,

her breasts,

my never-run-out-food-pantry;

her legs spinning chairs

that always put me to sleep.

Her laps I bed wet for years,

her clothes I turned to diapers

to hold my waste;

her head-tie I used

as handkerchief 

to clean my face.

Her back-a mobile crèche

without equal,

her mouth-the lullaby

gramophone

devoid of musical instruments,

unbeatable by any

world class musician.

My cries she understands,

my pain, she bears and soothes,

my joy, we both share-

when I smile, she laughs.

My concern her concern,

My emotions, she reads easily,

My feelings, she interprets with

correctness.

Her name I knew before other names,

her voice, I recognized with distinction,

her face, the first image ever recorded

in mind.

When I play she responds

positively,

modest, yet very inviting were

her challenges for my growth and

development;

out of love,

she challenged

me to begin

the walk of life by steps.

Challenged me to crawl by

throwing dice at me,

tasked me to stand up

raising objects

atop of me;

tasked me to walk

by holding my hands,

taught me how to run

by running with me.

From her I learned

first lesson of life,

all-round teacher in

those formative years;

all-time companion,

who does not abandon

even in tough times.

The inner room counsellor-

who assures, supports, and defends;

shall I forget you,

even with a few failings

and noticeable errors?

Never! Never!!Never!!!

May you continue to live,

let your pride of motherhood

manifest to ALL.

SILAS ABAYOMI