Odokoto; aqua in the hollow

In the visne
Of my soul unfolds...
As roused by the radio
Thickets symphony, synthetic...
The way to Ibao
The path through
a dense forest
Leads to
A clearing where palm fruits
Are gathered under the shade of a tree
of broad boughs overspreading...

There my mother old
On earth cold sits
Her gland mammary now flabby
Hang loose
Tossing to and fro with arms
Picking palms off its spines.

Oh mother!
The spines have pricked me
Am bleeding
Hear my blood speaks
Grievous like Abel's

My mother !
A snake has bitten me
Mamba? Viper? Adder?
I did not see the slither
Less the antedote proper,
My ankle is swollen
It swells with venom of vengeance.

Yeye O !
Am trapped in my path
My bones are broken
Crushed by the jaws
Of the iron gin
Who has snared me
In my field?

Where is my father?
He's not here, am fatherless
Now a stranger has snared
The Terra-fillius?

Come brothers
Set me free
Come for my hands are weak
Come, bring matchete
Kill this slither, an adder
Take care
don't tread on its tail
Take care
Let it not come nigh
Our dog is a prey.

Kill this adder
Burn the spines
Take the snare of strangers in our land.

I'm tired brothers
Bear me
I'm thirsty
Give me drink

Give me drink
of the aqua in the hollow
Scooped with ewe-iye...
Set me Free.