POEMS: A Festival & Cowries

A Festival

Great rivers, gods and ancestors,

Protectors of mankind and providers of good harvest;

To keep them was food given.

Sheep was the meat of the day,

Rum was the water.

In the waters appeared a crocodile of magnificent beauty,

To him was served food and rum;

Accepting them with enthusiasm,

He went and was seen no more.

Palanquins of different sizes dangling in the air,

With seated figures of outstanding features;

The greatest figure appearing last.

Fanning women following suit;

Expensive were their fans of cloth;

Drums of different sizes and tunes,

Songs of praise, songs of honour;

To great gods and ancestors.

All made a memorable day.

                                                                                C. A. KWARTENG

Cowries

Three

Ivory-white cowries

Rolling into tomorrow,

Crack the earth and

Look into the morrow;

Read mysteries concealed

In the sun’s biting face;

The significance of shadows crawling over the moon,

Unearth raging deities and

How to appease them.

O, Seers of yesterday,

Tellers of tomorrow,

Your flaming eyes

That burn anything

Into clothless nakedness

Frighten me.

                                                                SAMMY SMILES OFORI