I Sing of Rivers (for ẹlẹ́yẹlé and Asejìrẹ́)
Kayode Ayobami
Nigeria
River does not discriminate;
i fetch the breath of ẹlẹ́yẹlé
into my palms, offer it a
Haven in the corner of a
Slave’s mouth.
It’s the same breath from
the pigeon’s river that brings
Rhythm to the throat of a
Child.
Water is medicine—Aṣèjìrẹ́
Knows one or two things
Of how thirst drown in its
Belly.
She knows about rejuvenation
Of Faded skin, of tired and
Cracked bodies crying for
a new energy.
Oh Rivers! What are you
Without your seaweed and
Giant water lily crown?
What’s this city if it makes
Enemy out of you?
Kayode Ayobami is a Guest Contributor for Panorama
Kayode is an African literature enthusiast, interested in Academics and Yorùbá translation. His works have been published or forthcoming in konya shamsrumi, echelon, icefloepress, Olongo, Àtẹ́lẹwọ́, New note, isele, fieryscribe, Kalahari, Ake review, South Florida and elsewhere. He tweets @KayodeAyobamii