Four Litres of Death Listen, child, let me sing you a dirge Let me tell you how death was measured in litres Don't try to wipe the pain navigating my eyes Chase the birds from my window, I don't need their songs How many litres did they bring? Maybe four or even more Right in their grandfather's compound, behind a high school wall In the glaring eyes of the sun, they strap darkness on their backs And massaged demons on behalf of kids who cry of toothache Come on, bring me writhe for the four holy schoolboys Who left their mother's arms and returned home only with ashes Listen, child, let me sing you a dirge Let me tell you how death was measured in litres Of motor spirit poured out as libations to angry gods As travelling oxides carried cries in their clenched fists And flung them sweatily in four directions, heavenwards A clear crystal tears leaked from a corner in God's eyes It drops into my plastic heart, and my tears became a lagoon Sit here child and cry with me as I sing my dirge Come on, bring me writhe for the four holy schoolboys Who left their mother's arms and returned home only with ashes Come on child, sing along with me on this dirge As I have told you how death was measured in litres Let's not pretend that the clouds have got no eyes They caught dizziness from the parting flames Let's not pretend that the winds have got bad breath They spread the rotten news far away from that land Let's not pretend that the trees lack sympathy too When the monoxides still choke their guilty conscience Let's not pretend that the earth have felt no pain It is her aching womb that carried the quadruplets Franklyn Orode is a professional Civil engineer, a creative writer and poet. His poems have appeared in notable online platforms such as eboquills, poemhunter, voicesnet and poetry cooperative. He was a contributor to the collaboratively written poetry anthology " Petals of Wisdom" edited by Eriata Orhibabor. Franklyn writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
5 Comments
Godwin Gbenebichie
3/5/2020 12:03:03 pm
Succinct reminder of the mindless killing of the innocent ALUU 4 by a poet extraordinaire.
Reply
Franklyn Orode
3/5/2020 12:17:37 pm
Thanks Godwin Gbenebichie for your soaring mind and attention to details.
Reply
Emeka Chibuikem V.
19/5/2020 10:48:57 am
He does not just make things seem bad, he makes it worse;
Reply
Franklyn Orode
19/5/2020 12:42:07 pm
Thanks so much Mr Emeka for your poetic insight
Reply
Timi Sanni
25/5/2020 05:07:02 pm
The poet has done a great work in engraving this senseless killing of the four ALUU victims on our minds.
Reply
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