Friend, have you heard
Of that city of sheep,
Whose bloated shepherds
Walk not on two legs?
Listen, friend, listen.
I’ll tell you of abominations
That these eyes of mine
Did there behold.
There, are the sheep shorn,
In the season of snow,
To weave woolen garbs
For the cloaked shepherd!
Their teats are squeezed
That the Shepherd may drink,
While young ones suck
At dry breasts!
And they cannot bleat,
For their mouths are muffled
And the limbs bound
With woven wool and cured hide.
On the shepherd’s table,
Roasted lamb goes to rot
While the sheep watch
Munching cassava flakes.
But I pity him, the Shepherd,
For I hear ‘bleatbules’;
A rising crescendo of sheepish hearts
Soon to roar like wounded lions!
_____________
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xikay @xikay
Nigerian poet, blogger and multimedia journalist. +2348060109295Go to xikay's profile, and read more of his/her posts.
Read this on your blog, and I still think it is one of your best.
I appreciate poems that are clear.
Ha ha ha my oga @kaycee… thank you. Truly, some poems speak directly. Thanks for liking it
Interesting stuff.Horror:the food chain.It chains even the sheep.They say the trees have ears but i don’t know about the grass.For every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction.Physics.Isaac Newton.
Thank you for reading oga @yahayamadu
This is nice. interesting and arresting.
the line that speaks of sheep munching cassava flakes while roasted lamb rots was awkward, sheep are herbivores, How does rotting meat concern them.
Very vivid images throughout, a poem i wont forget in a while. Good work.
@nicolebassey thank you for your comments.
However I want to draw your attention to the ‘awkward’ part you noted.
Firstly, I want to believe you know what ALLUSION n is in poetry…that is what ‘cassava flakes’ is…an allusion to President GEJ’s cassava bread.
Roast lamb and sheep? Do you also know about CONTRAST and DICTION/SETTING is in poetry?
Well, roast lamb is the meat of a sheep…. so the shepherd eats enough of the sheep, so much that he has enough to waste [an allusion to wasteful spending on the part of govt.].
The direct contrast to BREAD(cassava flakes) is Meat (roast lamb).
So rotten meat concerns them because is is: 1. their children’s flesh and 2. it is being wasted…
I could go on and on explaining this poem. It would take an essay to do that.
Poetry is deep, not like prose and every work here has a role to play.
Thank you once again @nicolebassey
You are welcome @xikay , Your literature classes are making me laugh. By God’s grace I passed literature -in- English in my SSCE and GCE with A1 in both cases. If you wont take a second look at a line for whatever reason then say so. My comment was not intended to incite a literature class but to make the poem better. The points you have raised are understood. Poems should be elaborately praised in glowing reviews by your readers not explained with nine fullscalp sheets by the poet. Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from foes. Any poet or writer that cannot take well meant critique or comments from a discerning audience is doomed to obscurity, permanently. So take whatever comments make sense but try to respect the views of others,especially as it is a peer review of sorts. thank you.
@nicolebassey did you have to say all this? Now, ask the old NSers, I don’t like flattering comments where the situation ought to be otherwise.
if criticism must be taken, it should be one that is founded and grounded. are you saying that my explanations are misplaced or I haven’t proven your observations faulty.
If you think I should accept faulty criticism, then think twice. Every poet should respect his art and only alter it when convinced he/she has erred.
You as a person should also be willing to learn and not criticize for the sake of it.
wow! this is… let me find words
@coshincozor you make me laugh…where are the words hiding? Thanks
Splendid. Enjoyed the clear use of imagery.
I’m glad you liked it @louis
to me this is a description of the injustice in Nigeria- this is again metaphorically speaking and it is well presented to reflect the situation. good work and loved.
Now, there is someone who understands poetry…. Oga @mikeeffa, three gbosas for you.
Good
I don’t like it, when they don’t see it.
I see it, the message is poetically great.
You did it.
Great!
Thank you my oga @ostar
Nice poem. i enjoyed it. one thing though.
There, are the sheep shorn,
In the season of snow,
To weave woolen garbs
For the cloaked shepherd!
Am not an expect at poems but to me this part’s flow seems uneven compared to the other parts of the poem. I think i would flow and read easier this way
In the season of snow,
Are the sheep shorn,
To weave woolen garbs
For the cloaked shepherd!
Also, city of sheep(s) or dont you think?
Anyway, well writing. thumbs up!
sheeps? na waoo. teacher teach me right!
my mistake at @adams
Thank you oga @meshybizzo…. but I must speak on the points you noted.
Have you heard of CLIMAX and ANTI CLIMAX in poetry?
I keep saying this, poetry is not prose and it is very flexible.
The word THERE that you removed in your version is key…because I am telling you of a PLACE not just a thing…THERE locates the poem.
Again, SheepS? Come on bro!
my mistake at @xikay
ok i can understand your mean with “there”.
You are welcome @meshybizzo ..its good that you even pointed it out in the first place. We are all here to learn, while enjoying the spread, right?
Nice one!
Thanks @fyngal