Letters to Marion (And the Coming Generations)

City Woman

45 John Nkemngong Nkengasong In the dark of day and yet asked The meaning of my life.’’ Conscience: ‘‘The meaning of life is putting Meaning in your life’’ The Man: ‘‘I’m resolved, that of all the ink That spits from the tongue of poetry I shall display the beauty of my troubles In the eyes of the world.’’ A Phantom in Heaven I saw a phantom in heaven When Fuandem blew his winding horn And in swaddling ganduras the angels Dropped from the heavy clouds and squatted On his feet – I saw the little man I saw him in another world when I was young He sank his claws in my throat Till I cried out in my dream And woke God in His sleep. City Woman The long dreary day wearies her out yawning at the balcony splitting hairs painting nails gazing at the clouds wondering why they were clouds 46 Letters to Marion (And the Coming Generations) waiting for a guest hoping to be a bride dreaming of a honeymoon till darkness veils the day and she searches in and out for a bed beneath a reckless drunken lout for exchange of amorous gifts of VDs and HIV-AIDS. To a Shy Lad Brave lad, be brave Dress not cowardice your grave Though the burning embers In your chest yearn for human lust Look deep in a lady’s craving eyes And climb to the world’s Imagined heights Or lose the succulent world for fright Brave lad, be brave… Clothe not youth your cowardice For if you do not spread out Your arms in quest You’d never know how rich or poor Are the harvests of your embrace. Buea Mountain Piercing into the sky’s heart The monstrous wall spreads Like a barricade Sinking into Limbe Sea Against the ugliness of the worlds ...