Altar of Wishes

By Clement Odia

RODENTS scurry towards altar of wishes as leeches gulp endless stream of blood from the nation’s meagre treasury.

Rodents scamper to altar of wishes
Seeking green pasture sowed with tears of sacrifice.
Now that we know the length of the evening shadow
Let us arise from altar of wishes and begin to plant trees of freedom.

Leeches besiege our meagre treasury blighting pods of our tomorrow foisted by fountains of wiles
To drown wishes of rodents.
Now we know the length of the evening shadow
Let us revoke misery of rodents.

How long do we toddle round altar of wishes long buried in abyss of derision?
How much longer do we watch as our wishes grow forlorn on trees of endless promises?
How long must our wishes lurk in the wings?
How long must our dreams be imprisoned by leeches?
How long must our prayers be chained to songs of subterfuge?

We cannot birth a golden tomorrow sprawled at altar of wishes
For grains of progress will not flourish in bellies of fortune.
We must jettison songs ululating pains leeches inflicted on rodents.
We know the length of the evening shadow
Let us therefore arise sowing seeds of rainbow and dawn.

* Odia teaches literature at the University of Benin, Benin City