THE OTHER WOMAN

Because of the other woman.

You pulled the curtains down,

The moon suddenly seemed too bright for you,

The stars too curious

And the breeze too occupying

Because of the other woman,
You forget those days you waited eagerly for night,

now you pray for dawn always

so you can take your flight

through crowded highways

Because of the other woman,
I have become to you,

an unripe udara, lacking in taste and brightness,

as ugly as the ‘ajagara-igwe’ your grandfather left you.

as ice without cream.

Because of you,

The fire which burned within me,

Now burns by the end of my cigarette.
but this I promise,
I shall pick myself up
and I shall rise.