Lost In The Thick, Dark Forest Poem by Uche Favour

The owls hoot nearby;

The screech-owl calls;

The wolves howl in the distance;

The beetles tap and tap in an endless charade

The cicada seems like it won't give up clinging to the trees; its eyes looks lovely

The bush dog barks incessantly;

The squirrels stare inquisitively at me from the comforts of the fever tree

The ants make merry inside the whistling thorns, they seem happy as they make music

I can see the sunset now; like a baby it must sleep to awaken the next day.

I also want to sleep, but the ominous sound of fear; fear of the unknown; fear of being killed by an animal keeps my eyes wide awake but my mind slumbers

The enormous baobabs converge on me, forming a protective shield but why do I still feel insecure?

How did I find my way here? How did I get here?

I can't remember what had brought me here!

I need to go home but where is home?

I'm lost at night in a forest overgrown

I keep on walking; destination unknown; my fate have been decided

Thickets of bush engulf me;

Can hardly see anything now, it's dark yet I'm still trekking

I'm thirsty and hungry;

My legs ache, I don't want to walk anymore — just to sleep

I can hear a rattlesnake closeby;

The sound is getting closer; closer to me

How do I run? Where do I run to?

I'm walking faster now; the thought of food and thirst overtaken by the will to survive

The blackbirds are whistling now,

Calling me home, showing me the way home,

I must follow to please our kindred spirits;

My ancestors have finally smiled on me

I can see mom preparing the firewood for cooking outside the house

When she looked up to me and smiled, I knew I was home; safe and sound

I don't want to be in the forest anymore!

Favour! Favour! , my mom calls.

I stifled a yawn;

Alas! It was only a dream.