USA Africa Dialogue Series - Agwu (Poem)

By Chidi Anthony Opara

 

With my left hand

I offer to you

This sacrifice

Agwu,

So your raging rams

Will spare my kneecaps

And the kneecaps

Of my offspring,

And spare the kneecaps

Of those I love,

And the kneecaps

Of those who love me

When we venture outside

The sanctuary

Of the good gods.

 

Ahhh!

Agwu,

Your pets arrive.

The vultures perch

Atop the anthill

Eyeing my sacrifice.

The tortoises crawl

Nearer and nearer.

The rodents smell my sacrifice

And come running.

 

On my sacrifice

I turn my back now.

I retreat now

To the sanctuary

Of the good gods

Where I dwell.

 

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