WE HEAR THE RAIN She calls from a high and lofty place but we know not where only hearing as she goes, voice trickling down as she calls. We hear the rain, what she says is clear 'Go in; find rest for your weary bones.' Mama says it is a call to retire from play still I find play in her, defying thunder panting as lightning runs across the sky. 'Go in, go in' she sings but Chukwudi and I, even with Ette will find, where the Lion is birthing her child? and sun persists on, aiding a birth. Nno we will say to it, this baby lion if it has not yet grown a teeth, rain calls from her place in the sky, we find play beneath her watery tears. *Nno (Igbo: Nigerian Language) — Welcome AN ERROR OF WORDS Words can take on new meaning, the ear hears what it wills the mind playing a game of shadow and thought this is where we have come so the messenger of Awasi called the bucket a basket the calabash became a spoon every hope of a river lost sprawling hills, a valley between but where is the river? Lost in the transit between the realm of the gods dripping through baskets, spoons and teacups this is where we have come to the error of hearing and words My father tells me of Ifugho village in Ikot Ekpene Local Government of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. A village with a hill and valley set as it where for a river but it was not to be as the messenger sent them by Awasi gave the wrong information. THE ORIGIN OF THUNDERS Sifting through his anger, Amadioha settled to his sorrow Ekunne was gone, lost to him and his love for the fleeting life with a mortal. and what of their many dreams, the things they had had planned? Her fickle heart had given up on their bond reveling in praises that will vanish Amadioha felt his anger rise again, hot as he watched her with this mortal the hairs on his body rose. the sky rumbled and he let his anger roam free
About the author:
ABASIAMA UDOM is a polymathic writer and poet. Her works have been published in Kalahari Review, The Sandy River Review, Stripes Magazine and elsewhere. She is constantly chasing new adventures but appreciates the constancy of food, music, books, family, sleep, and football in her life. She tweets @Abasiama_Udom
Photo by Breno Machado on Unsplash