When you see me laughing
Yes,
My sweet gapped teeth
Nineteen, Sixty, Fifty or whatever
Number showing
Full toothed
Grinning
Yet deep throat… winning…
I must have eaten full
My stomach slitting
The calabash in two
Fit for drumming
That my fat legs
Seem ready to dance to
The large buttocks alluring
You whistle
Smiling and longing
Wishing more
At my breasts
Full round and enticing
What more?
My fame
Stretching far more than the miles
Filling the spaces
Across the reaches
Growing farther
Then riches,
Yes, I am dressed in diamond
Gold and more
Children?
Oh,
The fairest of the land
Chart toppers
In every facet
Of every field
Like the sand
Envy then
As you see my teeth
But draw near
And look more, child Dear,
At the gapped tooth
Fashioned by decay
Other teeth falling, slowly in relays
The big stomach
Full testimony
Not overfed or pregnant
But kwashiorkor, fully fledged –
Still want to drum?
Elephantiasis sings the leg
Trudging hard
Not of a dance wishing
The pants down
My buttocks betray the
Lashed stripes in a wealth
Of swells – welts
The breasts, cancer
Listen to the fame
It reeks of evil – shame
For the beauty lies in the past
The new sending me out
Riches cover my body
True, I shine
But an apple never will I taste
The Midas curse mine
Help nowhere coming
Do you not glitter?
And the children?
The best flee
Being the best
To mothers varied
Adopting even as I live
Longing…
They, curing other evils and more
Loathing me more
With those left with I – the sick
Yet loving me still
Praying that the strong leave the weak
Propagate
Stranger,
You flee but
Hee Hee Hee…
Laugh I in silence, my tradition
But think me not mad
For all is gone
Lovelorn
With the beauty of soul
Yet, I hope…
8th January, 2010
Related Posts via Taxonomies
Comments
Sueddie Agema @sueddie
Su’eddie Vershima AGEMA (me) lives in Abuja and Makurdi, Nigeria. I was exposed to Literature at an early age by a father who kept the tradition of the moonlight tales, complete with acting roles, local lore, and cultural songs. There was also a mother who bought the best of African literary titles, from Chinua Achebe to every famous writer of the Heinemann fame. 'Humour' sparks.. . I think life should be fun, love and friendships. I love making friends, keeping them and getting proper criticism and appreciation. My blog is http://sueddie.wordpress.com. S'Go to Sueddie Agema's profile, and read more of his/her posts.
I was here… Looking out for collection of poems ‘Second Collection: Shrine Tale’
i really don’t know where to take this from…
You spoke for me XIkay. I’m confused.
I love the poem. It’s quite easy to relate to. Maybe not what you had in mind when you wrote. But I think it’s a kinda poem one can read and get some interpretation.
@xikay consider the fact that the poem has a sarcastic happy first part and the sad second part. Maybe you’ll make something out of it.
In all, a lovely poem. Maybe you’ll let us know the idea behind the poem.
thats not what i meant. i meant it so captures a lot about the way the children have been left unattended, how they suffer and how they need their parents and the society
Riches cover my body [HE PLAYED ON THE WORD RASHES]
True, I shine
But an apple never will I taste
The Midas curse mine [HE CANNOT TOUCH THE APPLE AN ALLUSION TO MIDAS WHO HAD BUT COULDNT EAT...OUR CHILD HERE CANNOT GET IT NOT BECAUSE IT WILLM TURN TO GOLD BUT BECAUSE IT IS AS SCARCE AS GOLD]
Help nowhere coming
Do you not glitter?
EVERY LINE IN THE POEM IS HEAVY AND PREGNANT.
Hmmm. Okay.
So…you’re not speaking for me after all.
This poem is really, really lovely, and was made more interesting with its simplicity.
Whoa….This is ARTISTIC. Guess what, at first I thought the poem was about a beautiful bride that was about to be ‘auctioned’ to future suitors…rich men of course. She has all those qualities, like fatness (symbolized fertility), and her buttocks, etc…but then the transition! Oh my Goodness…was not expecting it! An ironical piece, and very deftly handled.
Good, but I’m lost. I enjoyed the flow, and tried to understand it, but I couldn’t (my crazy brain eh?). Still, I enjoyed the flow. At least like Ayo, I thought it was about a bride, then I saw something else. Nice poem again.
I got the puzzle solved @raymond, look at my comment and that of @jaywriter above
if you guys are lost, then i’m LOSTEST!@!!
if you are lost here, then I think it should be a homework for you… Print this out and try to digest it within a three day ouration. This poem is very rich. One would be very surprise at the different interpretations of this poem if NS members comply to do the homework…
thanks i took your advice and i have seen it through
@idoko, have you done your own homework?…let me see your script
Hmmm…..I hope I understand this….Anybody?
i love the ending!
M sugh ne kpishi (I greet/thank you all)
@Jaywriter, I think the above has tried in some way to explain, abi? @Ukamaka Olisakwe, thanks – I’m blushing (kai, there’s no smiley for it!) @Ayokunle Falomo, hmmm, what do I say? ‘Deftly handled’? That’s a new one for me – the praise. My cheeks o!! @Raymond, find yourself now with all these 
@Idoko Ojabo, tell them jo! Sup with service abi na camp? You never find tale from there abi na me wey neva check… @Lancaster, phew…I have explained o! and @stephen, I love the comment – who no go like compliment.
Really didn’t think this poem would get any review… Where do I start or..end? Much as I would have loved to proffer an explanation, I really think it would kill the beauty (or the mystery) of the poem. Trust me though, had lots of things in mind when I wrote this… Bottom line is it is a tale of disillusionment. You see so many things and smile … so many people and think all is well… if you can only go a bit closer. It is deeper but let me not pull it’s pants down
@4ran6, thanks, we pray for the collection too. I’m looking out for it too! @Xikay, haba guy, you didn’t need to mention that you don’t understand the poem twice na…haba! Give me kola and I’ll explain
Thanks for all the comments. They really are inspiring. Thank you.
i have gotten into the alleys of the poem and i saw all the secrets…this was one huge poem you wrote. well done
the amazing thing about poetry is that many times it comes out beyond the thoughts and imaginations of people, even the poet. I was with Dr. Hyginus Ekwuazi in Ibadan two days back and he told me that my critiques of his poems had made him to see them afresh and in a new light…he had never seen them before like that… You can be sure many times it is like that with our written word. we might make it look like we are too much, we had it all planned out but sometimes, the work baffles you the creator and you keep looking to understand it yourself and uncover what it has. I am indebted to you for the deep analysis and all, I appreciate it and learnt from it too.
There are some other meanings I had to it when I wrote the poem but I think I would be a bit silent and let others help me do more uncovering before I turn out the shallow lad of letters that art mercifully allows scribbles to flow through…
Sha, @xikay, you and your vampire brother, @Raymond de too much…:)
thank you jare. as for my vampire brother @raymond, e be like say we go just banish am to the Netherworld. you go fit write one incantation poem like that. what do you think?
I think that is something that we can work at…would make sense die!
So these people have been plotting to eliminate me…smh. Well, I am going to do something about that!
Mr. Sueddie, see as u’ve confused everybody now en..? Anyhow, me I think the poem is about Africa. How she was beautiful at first but now bruised, ugly and all her childrn hav left her…
hmm, Gboyega, I no confuse anybody o! Just wrote simply…and everyone has uncovered it in a really lovely way. Gboyega, your comments carry wait and e be like wetin person bin get for one corner of im mind…brain drain and all, but wetin xikay take join with some other things….Kai, @xikay too gbasky jo…Gboyega, thanks for thecomment jo!
i must tell you that had me really strung up at the first read..now, i can only wonder at the richness.
Sorry, have to rephrase a few things here…hmm, Gboyega, I no confuse anybody o! Just wrote simply…and everyone has uncovered the poem in really lovely ways. @Gboyega , your comments carry weight and e be like wetin person bin get for one corner of im mind…brain drain and all, but wetin xikay take join with some other things….Kai, @xikay , my vampire broda, you too gbasky jo…Gboyega, thanks for thecomment jo!
Yeah, this is better. Still thanking you guys for all the comments…thanks, S’
Well now. After reading through the comments and reading it again, this poem says ONE thing to me – BEAUTY LOST.
Well done, Su’eddie. Your wealth of words and construction come across graphically. Well done.
@Seun-Odukoya, hmm, thank you once more. Sad I didn’t see all these before -whatever happened to my eyes??? Elder, have mercy!
Eyes closed.
Reciting Masonic poetry.
Me.
Yes, it was the pride of a woman, maybe the scent of a woman,
then the sarcasm. Like Heraclitus’ flux, the strife gave vent to its vanity.
Though in staccatos, yet a great piece!
@Ostar Staccatos? Hee hee hee, I nearly thought you meant ‘Scattercos’
Thanks Sir! Glad to have you say so…N dalu
Lovely… all I can say.
I actually have more to say…Lol. I think you should consider Seun- Odukoya’s suggested title, BEAUTY LOST. It’s got more appeal. Just saying and not imposing.
@Joy1 , thanks very much…for the ‘added say’…BEAUTY LOST does seem a really lovely title but you know, I think it would really be a give away if I use that. I agree that a different title might be in order but I really don’t subscribe to titles that tell it all…it sure would be something like those our Nigerian movie sound tracks that gist you the whole film…you know?
And don’t worry, there was no need for the last part – saying not imposing… you can say, any day for your saying doesn’t keep any of us greying…It simply shows you care enough to bless with your wise counsel and advise on how better to go… Chai, … you know. N dalu o.