IN MY LINE OF SONGS

(to Dr Moses T. Tsenongu)

 

 

   Prelude:
As I walk on waves weaved
on grown hair of River Benue
my feet stroke skulls of songs
where rhythms rang from pages of
autobiography of a common man.

I biograph out your commonness
in my line of songs and sing
of ingredients that make you a
soup set to sail ships in our throat

I will slog out songs from indyer*
with rhythms that will shatter
Olympus so Gods will hear hill of
holy rhymes that spell your grace

This biography is your auto's
telling of humility
you cravat your neck and the
spurt of mfena* you spit speaking

Your tongue invokes daughters of Iduh*
to dance donary dance to drums
from sons of Takuruku* and when
you wind your wheels colours intermarry

From shelf of noble names I
sing of your open hand nailing notes
to outstretch altars of palms
waiting for wetness to dawn their throats

When your verses vase our ears
our heart dances to incantation
priming from priestly mouth calling
Sun the Male Born Moon the Female

To preserve the sanity of our soul
you poem lines to milk us mild
and retain the tongue which
our ancestors answered

Along this chiseled coast I
will wet the arid shore of
your ears with water breath
of songs panegyric pin from
temple of ancient songs

Your commonness is the song
that swells round our mouth
and this verse is the biography
of your greatness common to
priests on pulpit of humility.

Indyer: a Tiv slog drum, significant for its ritual purpose.
Mfena: wisdom
Iduh: the progenitor of the Idoma people in Benue state.
Takuruku: one of the greatest ancestors of the Tiv people in Benue state


© 2016.11.20
Oko Owoicho







About the Author
Oko Owoicho pen named Oko Owi Ocho was born in Udabi Adoka in Otukpo local government of Benue state on 08 October 1994. He attended his secondary school in Lagos where he served as the Secretary General of AJ HOUSE OF POETRY. A writing organization based in Ajegunle. He has performed on lots of stages in Lagos and Benue respectively. He featured in Lagos State Black Heritage Festival 'Night of the Poet' 2014 and Sevhage Literary Festival 2015. He was a guest poet for Freedom Spoke Word organised by Goethe Institut and Aj House of Poetry 2016. His poems has been published both online and 'Black Communion: an Anthology of 100 Modern African Poets'He is a Pan Africanist who base most of his writings on Africa. He sees Art as a tool that can help facilitate the cultural and economic emancipation of Africa which is one dominant theme inherent in most of his works. He is currently studying English in Benue State University where he is currently the Financial Secretary of WRITERS LEAGUE. He has an unpublished collection of poetry titled 'Broken Rhythms' and is currently working on another one titled 'Middle Passage'

He can be reached at okoowiocho@gmail.com. His mobile line is 08090662867.