HUZZLE

“News dey travel
Trouble dey shovel
Man must huzzle
…but dem say we for sleep
Wey kan sleep dey for the hungry?

II
When Iya Hunger no be stranger to you
You know it can make person dog
E fit force you to jump like mumu
E fit force you to murder yua moda
E fit cloud, strike like tɔnda in yua bɛllɛ
…and cut sharp light for eyes
Hunger blindness no be small blindness o
Still you dey call for sleep?
Wey kan hungry man close im eyes for sleep?

III
Coro no fit scare poor man
Im hell promise no fit put fear
…in person wey dey live im life in hell gyare
You no know say we battle death
…sotay we know death bi fren?
Una no know say we see death
…sotay we know say death bi rest?
Una no know say we see una eyes dey shake
…burabura?
Make una no use una fears to scare awa huzzle?
Sleep nkɔ?

IV
Papa Okoro say ino get bowl wey go fit collect im nyash food from im bɛlɛ
Mama Sunday say she no get gari wey go fit feed im pikins for days
Ifa Wale say im room no get cooler
…wey fit kill sweat wey go make im body burn
He ask say una want boil him abi?
Iya Eke say body wey no work no fit chop
He say ino bi im talk am o
…na Bible talk am
Sleep for where?
Even me
…I no go fit smoke for house
…you want make I craze for my weed?
She una get tin food wey go fit feed battalion for years?
She una get water wey flow like drunk man im wiiwii for yua walls?
She una fit get light for yua phone top?
She una money go fit force us to sleep?
Oya, bring dem guns”

V
Even as fear blasts like a quarry
They dare to pair their egos with fairness
Knowing sticks of the army is blind to indiscipline
Many are the woes of the poor
Forced to see their fences in their doors
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © March 28, 2020