As I leave my crop farm—
that is, the future barn
I turn to behold my brethren—
that is, our livelihood
They stare back and bow—
showing their grief
No smiles, no flapping—
no goodbye, no small talks
How I loved to do that—
hello corn, yes yam
hmm plantain, good pepper
fine fine onion, great farm!
Now they bow at me
not in reverence—
in protest, complaint:
This dryness, master—
we are perishing
can’t you see?
Don’t I see?
don’t I understand?
don’t I care?
can you say this of me?
Why are you angry with me
you, tender tendril?
why do you stand depressed?
You require dew of freshness
I know, I see—
For you, I look up the sky
You, gentle blades
maize in a maze, in tranquil
I know you need a drink
but who am I that bring downpour?
Crops, dear ones,
please don’t die tonight
Stay alive
stay alive
till I see you again tomorrow
Look up, you palm fronds, sturdy one
give hope to your brethren
Hey, cocoyam, why are you downcast?
your greens turn yellow, I see it
Your children beneath dwindle, I believe
but, hey, cheer up: maybe tonight!
Come on, plantain—
and your cousin banana
Come on, lift up flabby arms
you have reserved freshness
in your wobbling stem
Tonight, dear ones, tonight--
the clouds gather, I can see
rumblings I can hear
Ah, tonight, please, tonight
So how could I sleep?
I listened to far away drums
to gentle thunder and stormy winds
Come, rain, come, for the brethren
the future barn
I long till my eyelids
that knows no sorrow
close in dreamy hope
Then I heard the gentle winds—
they sweep tree tops
they march on, dripping
they attend to my groanings
I shifted in bed and listened”
Then they arrived!
the night rain:
dew of freshness
they poured, poured out my soul
poured over my tears
My love is here again
the wetness wash my brethren
the coolness welcome us
to the little smiling little stream
At dawn I shall fly with the birds
to the field, to my brethren
my future barn
How they welcome me!
how they smile again!
they wave me, they beckon me
And my soul, with theirs
knit in perfect unity
twined in this dew of freshness