Earthed in Crimson dust

Ringed by the Giant’s hand-dug ditches,

Pathway to the seven and nether worlds.

Once stentorian master of all she surveyed.

Ikpoba snakes its ancient paths,

Irrigating the heart of a kingdom

Captive by the calloused hands of greed

The corrugated kingdom

Is on her kneels, brought to heel

By the gluttony of prodigals

On her ancient paths marauders now stomp, leaving

Cadavers to beckon at intersections;

As the clap of cordite drown out the lullabies of infants.

 Even on the Sabbath, new-initiates

 Commune with fireflies in the market place

 And on the way home gyrate

To the malaria songs of mosquitoes

The sacred places, they have desecrated

Leaving in their wake cindered shrines...and

Like the greedy witchdoctor, what swallowed the coven’s brew,

Devoured her collective heritage!