The Throne
‘Ezenwayi’the great woman
Who lives at the boundary
Between the living and the dead
She knows that an empty calabash
Can not sink down the river
She thought the people
Why a pregnant goat should be above
Being dragged to the market
At the village square under
The great ‘udala’ tree
Villagers all gathered in anticipation
With drums beating persistently
Other instruments weaved into the beating
Delivering an exciting sounds
Wrestlers and dancers on intervals
Perform under the glamour and cheers
Of the excited audience
It’s a day of coronation
‘ezenwanyi’ the priestess
Branded the heir to the throne
As she deliberately gave
The young lad mark of kingship
‘obidike’ custodian of the tradition
Took him to the hills
On top of the mountains
There the secret of the caves
And the staff, symbol of authority
Was unveiled to him
His majesty the king
And his royal entourage on
On a royal visit to the neighboring village
Across the border
Between ‘ngene’ and the evil forest
After departure of escorting villagers
‘ezenwanyi’ the priestess
In her sacred shrine saw conspiracy
Conspiracy among the chiefs
She roared like a wounded lion
She lamented…
The earthen pot filled with talisman
Surges smoke on intervals
A sick dog that must die will not
Perceive the smell of feaces
Things fall apart and the man died
The king was murdered coldly
Darkness engulfed the whole community
Under the brightness of daylight
Unknown to them the villagers stretched
Their wrath to the neighboring village
And threaten to go to war
The gods forbid them all
As the priestess warned them not
To contend with men
“the gods shall fight their fight”
The conspirators ignited the fire
Of vengeance and war on the people
And they ignore the warning of
The gods and went for war
Lives and properties were claimed
Consequently the two villages suffered
They began to appease the gods
They prayed prayers of peace
Stability and tranquility
Copyright © Cyril Pharaoh | Year Posted 2012
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