What is in death
that it is perennially drunk?
What is in the soil
that it is insatiable?
Robert has gone visiting
when will he be back?

O mortuary I hail thee
harbinger of many souls
naked they lie
ritual of passing
embalment their ointment
perfumery to the beyond

In procession
relatives and mourners line
ntasiobi to Ezeagu
contoured paths to the grave
today Robert tomorrow who?

What becomes of his young family
What is the gain of his struggles
Our hustles
All but vanity

Here I stand
on sacred hills of Ezeagu
undulating meeting our pains
solidarity of tears
uniformity of fate that must be
that must come

Here we all gather
eulogies leaning upon wailings
dust and air all quiet
silent
in communion with nature
a call that we must pay

Fare thee well Kachi
ancestor
your new apparel
loyalty you must adorn
tell them the tales of our sardine escapades
tell them our land is in turmoil
beckon on ancestors to awaken
to let us be but take our pains
our land needs healing
our deaths dignity

08/08/2020
Umumba, Ezeagu
Enugu