KISS OR KILL

Once upon a time
The gods of Ahoban created spots on the land
To check hostilities
…growing among people living on their land

II
Only the seer of the land knew these spots
When two enemies stepped on the same spot
They either kiss or kill eachother
The first enemies to be caught by the gods
Were Owura Amanfi and Efo Gbovi
The former claimed “shame fitted not an Akan child”
So went ahead to stab the latter
And got struck down by the gods”
Their feud bait, a woman in her late twenties
…picked by a third force

III
Then Akosua Nkran and Akwey Akwele
Also found themselves in a spot
But kissed eachother
…because they did not want to die and leave their children
The scandal was spoken about for a long time
As the passionate kiss of the women attracted jeers and cheers
They both stayed away from eachother


IV
Many people sought their enemies to make peace
Fearing the spot of Kiss or Kill
But Kofi Asante and Akua Gyeabour swore
…never to make up
And so they fought
Pelting themselves stones
And so they fought
Hurling insults at each other
And so they fought
Forcing tensions between their families
They oh so fought
Forcing their pets to also fight
Until one Saturday

V
At the market square
Those two were caught in the Kiss or Kill Spot
The seer chanted her possession
And the two could only walk in the small spot
Gyeabour’s younger brother was with her
Kofi’s mother was kneeling at a distance looking at him
…her hands on her head
For he was an only son
Both looked at the loved ones
And looked at eachother
Then a force flung them in each other’s arms
Eyes looking into eyes
Breaths getting shorter and shorter
Flat chest heaving heavily like a jumping vehicle
Breasts pushed by heart to rise and fall
…like praying mantises
Their lips came together
As their eyes got stuck in enchantment
Then their tongues got together
And goosebumps rose on their skin
Then smacks and mmmms and ahhhs and hmmms
…followed to speed their passion in kissing
Until their hands searched their bodies in smooching
Their faces changed styles to fit
And their audience got stunned by shock bees
Then the gods tore them apart
As their needs shook their bodies in rebellion


VI
The village spoke about enemies who fitted together
Rumours talked
…about their yearning for eachother
They looked out
…for the shadows of eachother
Until they met on a lone path
Greeted eachother
Made to pass and turned into their arms
To repeat the passions their gods unveiled
That day they told their families
…about their decision to marry
A fortnight saw it coming to pass
Their story healing the land of hostilies
By pushing enemies to be friends
In Ahoban
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © May 26, 2021