I AM A WOMAN!

I grew up as the pride of my father;
My pride was as tall and huge as the Iroko.
Grandma adored and adorned my neck with countless blessings;
I was a princess envied by many.

But my rose lost a petal when education came knocking.
Don’t send her to school, send her brothers instead!
I love school and I’m sharper than my brothers, why uncle?
My voiceless voice needs to be heard, why papa?

To the fortress of Grandma, I ran to for succour.
When one loses a sense organ, the other gets sharper;
So I grew in my calculation skills, market economics, home economics, you name it.
Papa brimmed with joy as he watched his pride grow into a bride.

Along came a wealthy farmer with a wife.
Why would he want me as his wife when he had a wife?
“You’d learn to love him”, they said.
Learning, I’ve always been learning; why quit now?

Four male and five female babies…. I buried.
No, not still birth….. they grew up to call me mama.
I lost them not to Mr. Death but to Mrs. Envy.
Four female babies I later had, but one got blind… after seeing and calling me mama.

Did I mention that my sweet husband passed on?
Was his will respected?
For all I was, was a widow with four daughters.
His wealth shared amongst two brothers.

Today they’re no more.
But their children’s children still dilly dally in my husband’s wealth.
What do I get? What did I get?
A box of regrets is all I now be.

I am a human before a woman!

PS: That above was a poetic piece horned from the agony of an old woman, who’s lived through all these pain. Its really painful! She still dwells on these pain!