Lekeleke

Most evenings in Warri around the shores
           Of McAiver river.
When the sun is sinking beyond the outline
Of these foliage at the other side
           Of the graying waters.
When boat men are hurrying out of the routine employ
Shouting out their anger or joy.
When the nearby market is going or coming.
The bright linings in the sky
Begins to grow dim; losing its light
You know another day is dying.
 
You do not need to pay attention
They would call you from above.
And when you look up, they are passing salutations.
They always do as they move
With their three syllabic sound:
            Good eve-ning at dusk
            Good mor-ning at dawn
Whenever they fly across
The sky spreading their shadows on the lawn.
 
            Lekeleke
They always call me in the morn.
Very early in the morning before light breaks the dawn.
When I am on my morning sport,
Jogging along the dew-wet lawn.
They always pass but not without a greet.
            Lekeleke
They always greet whenever we meet.
Im the morning on their way to God knows where.
And in the evening on their way from there.
They just greet and disappear.
 
Some evening they dare to return late,
Flying across the diamond face
Of the naked moon for moonlight kids to see.
Then, we were young rushing from our gates
To sing with plenty of glee and zeal.
           Lekeleke bam boo
           Gi’ me water finger
We always wake up in the morning anew.
Each one of us with our water fingers.
But would never remember lekeleke
Till we see them again.
 
I remember in my innocent childhood,
Those birds that flew in their groups,
Those birds that that flew straight.
They just greet and continue. They ever wait.
Facing them with a catapult
Was such a grave assault.
Like the Ancient Mariner who killed the Albatross
He had to bear the gross cross.
       Lekeleke bam boo
       Religiously built.
I am seeing a new change in you.
 
You used to go in your dozens or scores
To the North on the other side of those shores.
And return flying across the town
To the South equally in such amount.
But now you go and return in your threes and sevens.
Perhaps, you are finding your way to the heavens.
Against your disappearance, I sing.
         Lekeleke bam boo
         Gi’ me water finger.
My only tribute to you
When you eventually disappear to nothing.