I gave her a hand of fellowship
I wanted us to be Adam and Eve
Stark naked in the garden of our home
I spent all my life scratching the earth
The needles of life pierced my fragile limbs
I became a salaaming coward before her people
They took long knives and punctured my pocket
And all the grains I gathered they sieved from me
And all these while, she cleaved to them
As they all feasted upon the grain I came with.
"Blood is thicker than water. Eat now, you and we
May not eat again when you have changed
Your home address."
I, my neck, became a giraffe
And my eyes became that of an owl's but I plodded
Until I came home with the laurel
I gave her a hand of fellowship,
When all around her friends lived
Husband and wife, I gave her a hand
And we were friends, I gave her a hand
When she washes the dishes, I our clothes.
I gave her a hand of fellowship
Then one day she ate the fruit
She plucked it from the lips of some poetess
And she ate the fruit and when I returned
From scratching the earth, I met status quo
Where is my meal and she showed me the door
Yes, the door to the kitchen. I am with your seed.
I laughed. I went. I brought. We ate. I laughed.
Then I remembered the words of sages,
'Give a leper a handshake and
He will reach for the elbow'. The elbow!
She has eaten the fruit. Her eyes opened.
I haven't. So, I laughed over all.
And then it came
The duty roster!
Morning
Husband. Wash dishes.
Evening
Wife. Cook the meal.
Next day.
Husband. This. Wife. That.
The roster. Timetable.
Friend. Lover. You are to me.
Friend. Lover. I am to you.
Give Eve breathing space
And she will dialogue with the devil
Give Eve a breathing space
And she will eat the fruit
Make her equal and she rides upon you.
We are partners. Friends. Partners.
Be what you want to be.
But you are my wife.
Are you not?
Now that makes the difference!
Akwu Sunday V. @2017
Meet The Poet:
Akwu Sunday Victor holds a degree in English and Literary Studies and is presently a post graduate student at Kogi State University, Anyigba.
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