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If You Die Before Me

create a golden route for a poet like me,
let the embodiment of song carved itself
in the palms of the world beyond till lyrics
of faith light to ease the thought of my mind.
If you die before me, tell papa not to cry.
the shrine he left in my hand is still well
planted in the imaginations of his generations. 

tell Fela &Giwa that Nigeria is no better,
tell Chinua Achebe that the water in our 
throat cries of dry ground they stepped on.
we may not be a better cinematographer 
capturing the deeds of this land but your
still photos can crop some timelines to go
with you till I come along to join your trail.

if you die before me, send a word across.
let me know the existence of heaven & hell
if Shakespeare & Okigbo & Buchi are there
so I can change course to path my emotion,
the artistic photography of the tales of hell
are the codeine conscience of anxiety in us. 
we die before the masquerade halt in the air. 

Husky tears would I drop on your grave 
to be taken to Mandela & Luther King. 
there are roses I will take from the clay pot
Of my father to your graveyard to give to Ify
my hearted lover in the morning of miracles.
if you die before me, this tattered call would 
I make to our ancestors for a perfect survival. 

this land is a disco dance hall you must tell 
Yar'du of Fate & tears crossing our eyes
in a patterned way to be christened life's joy.
this land is a feminist like Chimamanda A.N,
this country is a pun star you must tell Ken. 
tell my cousin Ezekiel to wait for me longer,
I am coming. to join him in benedicted rein of 
our country.

If you die before me, I'll be on your graveyard 
for a life time cracking up the foundation of 
the world to find death. I will ask him if the 
other phase is  better than here before coming. 
suffering is not meant to be dreamed twice,
Two week-ed weaknesses are the wink wires
connecting our lives in a radioed embryo .

this is my recap
a captured scene
Let's bake life and dreams
till death call us all to himself
then the world becomes empty
love finds love mingling in hands...
die before me & be my eyes beyond. 


©John Chizoba Vincent 
From_A_Pen_Refusing_frustration.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2018




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Book: Reflection on the Important Things