Where Is Okonkwo

Where birds are two We ask:where is the eagle? Where trees are two We ask: where is iroko? Where men become two We ask: where is Okonkwo? Gut in the forest of Titans He roared in the jungle and Frightened those in the streets; He stood the wrath of a tiger: Made morsel of his gut And status-jacket of its skin Since then he wore not goat's skin His was tiger's batik. Because of fight,he rested his head on pestles Because of fear,he knitted his heart with cables; In battle, he killed in dozens;at home, He marched on dozen fowls If we did not see him in battle field Did we not see him at home? When fear was wild With its tongue of flame and fangs of blood Only Okonkwo stood,stood akimbo and spat: Which chick eats beads like beans? Which puppy eats elephant's scapula? Which demon stands Chinua Achebe? When woodpecker pecks trees Does it also peck plantain tree? Okonkwo! Okonkwo!! When thunder strikes, Its honour is certain: Songo king of pebbles Masqurade in war front He that we could not confront And lobbied the bully to wrestle But made the bully's skull his cup Man of brawn, man of brain. Where is Okonkwo? Big Iroko that blunted axes Where is Okonkwo? Bellows that spat fire and melted metal; I say where is Okonkwo? Sheath that swallowed the sword And locked out its haft. For Chinua Achebe ,the author of : Things Fall Apart.