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Collected Poems

Page 15

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The dance ends abruptly

The spirit dancers fold their dance and depart in midday

Rain soaks the stalwart, soaks the two-sided drum!

The flute is broken that elevates the spirit

The music pot shattered that accompanies the leg in

its measure

Brave one of my blood!

Brave one of Igbo land!

Brave one in the middle of so much blood!

Owner of riches in the dwelling place of spirit

Okigbo is the one I am calling!

Nzomalizo!

In memory of the poet Christopher Okigbo (1932–1967)

Translated from the Igbo by Ifeanyi Menkiti

After a War

After a war life catches

desperately at passing

hints of normalcy like

vines entwining a hollow

twig; its famished roots

close on rubble and every

piece of broken glass.

Irritations we used

to curse return to joyous

tables like prodigals home

from the city … The meter man

serving my maiden bill brought

a friendly face to my circle

of sullen strangers and me

smiling gratefully



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