SECOND DEATH

SECOND DEATH
( this, written in blood on a deteriorated sheet --that seems not of this world--abandoned by a stream, I once saw)

                 1
The sun had been playing hide
And seek with clouds---
Cold crawled in the breath
Of noon

Last night
The skies  overfed
The stream with drink
She had risen beyond her banks

Struck with cold
She pleaded with children
To come an warm her belly

They went.
But helpless they stood
In the arms of fear

agyankuku coo-coo-cooed:
time to meet my love
under the blossomed
giant flamboyant

             2
Ohemaa Asaabea
The leaves whisper
Your fragrance in their song
The path bows to your majestic steps
The blossoms adore
Your pulchritude

     Akwaaba, my prince
     Come and spend eternity in my arms
     The flamboyant is my
     Witness for how long I have had
     Them open

What is in these arms
that melts cold away?
there's honey in it's soothing warmth
who can order time to stop moving?

      O look into my eyes
      In yours I have buried a treasure
     That never dies--  
     To weld my  heart to yours
     What can split us apart?

My Love, listen
In yours I see myself trapped
In a tickling cage rooted
At the end of eternity

      You are the air I respire
      Without you I shall expire---
      My lifelong desire
      To live and die with you

I shall shield your soul
From death's deadly blow
To heed the dark call
On your behalf

      My love before this lazy sun
      Retires to bed
      Let the stream see us together

Your voice remains my choice
Amidst hidden voices
Ringing noises of  'no' in my ears
Ride on my back, Dear

                 3
Even Tetteh who claimed
Could swim  from
Botianor  to Kokrobite
In the sea's anger feared
To enter the stream

All had gathered
At the new bank--
Stoning the river and feasting
Joyfully on her lovely ripples

"Who saw the fish that
Jumped up?"
"Its a whale I think"
"A  whale in a stream?"

Asaabea eager to see
The whale--
Slipped and into the
Waiting mouth of the stream
She fell, she was being swallowed!

Before she could cry help
I was in the water
I pushed her up
Tetteh helped her to dry ground

But I felt the rough palms
Of death pulling me
Into the fathomless belly
Of the stream

My screams---
The stream hurtled back at me
Was it my tears I was drinking
Or water? ( I can't tell as of now
For it tasted so much of despair)

I won no one's pity
"Asaabea is on her feet
The fool is departing"

The water was merciful
Brought me to the surface
To bid my revived queen bye
And go happily; in peace!

                   4
Ei ewiase!
This world
Promises are only words
That wither before they are sowed

This world!
O this world
Promises are words
Only meant to said
Never to be believed; never to be lived

I saw Asaabea---
I thought it was a dream
---statued before Tetteh
Her hands rested on his shoulders
Her waist in his treacherous arms

What killed my ghost...
The lips that showered
Sweetness on my soul a while ago
Danced in his smelly mouth

The last words I heard...
How do I thank you Tetteh?
My love is yours
Forever to be!

©Sarpong Kumankoma

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