Nostalgia Poem by ObiGod Chidi CC

NOSTALGIA
I was the little lad in the big wood
That climbed above the green face
Of the Obeche in our black niche,
To wave to the large white bird that
Flew over our flying thatched roofs
And chirped as a spring thunderstorm,
Drove the scared little Chinwe inside
While we, the brave little hunters
Prayed to fly on the bird's back someday.


Now I'm the rich man in the bird's belly,
Who looks through his jet's windows
Just below the matching gray clouds
To see the green hairs of our forest,
Waving sweet memories of an old life
Like a fairy tale under a new moon play,
Where we danced with dangling dirty pants
And sacrificed grasshoppers to the Irokos
Like naive priest, for our childish wishes.


The man has gotten his childhood dreams;
Golden platters in proud Calabash's rack,
Skyscrappers replace Mahogany branches
Yet dreams where there's nothing to dream:
To swing on those primitive branches
Like an ape he was in a free world,
Swim naked in the banks of Idemili,
Run back home for his mother's soup
But he's locked behind his black suit.

CHIDI CECE
©18-05-2016