The Poet's Prophecy. A Poem By Jesam Eko.

A child will stare out of a window

for a moment

Deciphering the future from a dusky harmattan wind of November

Does he imagine that some wisp

of cloud reveals the handwritings

of things to come?

Or that life is an nsibidi in the palms

of a poet waiting to be translated

into creeds of poetry

And sometimes a girl stands naked

by a mirror

Imagining beauty in a stranger's eyes

Finding a place where fear meets desire.

For what is prophecy but unlettered itching words between the fingers

of a poet

Words he must birth on vivid verses

In stanzas of reechoing admonitions

Baptising minds in rhythmic poetic

processions

Yet it's not so much of what's written

But what's heard and the honor of sacred words

For the words of a poet are mustard

seeds meant for fertile grounds

meant for those gifted in listening

to heed the solemn call for peace

beneath the murmurs of dying refugees

To hear the dying grass bending to

the tempest of unrest

And to chronicle the ones by whose

ink territories were regained.

Glossary

Nsibidi : handwriting originated from the Ekoi people. Neighbours of the Efik

and Ibibio ethnic group in Nigeria.

Jesam Eko is an erudite writer, poet, broadcaster and a passionate environmentalist. He hails from Yakur L.G.A in Cross River state. The University of Portharcourt graduate is an advocate of creativity as a tool to foster national peace and security.

Jesam is currently working on an anthology to be published soon.

jesameko@gmail.com