Obasinjom Warrior - (For Bate Besong) Poem by Dzekashu Macviban

Two-legged brain, transcendental transcriber
Contiguous of earth, monsieur


In the lions’ den — the Tiger
Imposed its revelator-role, soared
And saw what lies beneath. You
Embraced the tiger, yielded substance—
Rooted in your dream,
Taproot in bedrock, fault line and all.
You spun gray webs for tomorrow’s seeds
Now you tread the earth of Okigbo

Riverain, cosmic-built, out of time…
Spiral sights of sage hood, mystery.
Presences unfathomable.

You still wage battle

Lone conqueror, back heaped with destiny
Interrelated cultural odyssey.
His trenchant tongue of fire, precursor.
How shall I sing, O Ebibirman?

You pulled down the curtain
Exposing psycho and sycophancy of useless harlequins
(time and again, they tried to mend
their sand foundations…)

Now, compatriot, uncertainties caress
As I am drawn to the labyrinths of my being,
My haven-home jerked to life.