Mother Ochíchí

Mother Ochichi,
You bare your naked breasts like nectars
To the suckling pleasure of your children
Whose helpless dehydrated throats seek succour
To quell & quench the runnels running thirsty
With drums drumming to the rhythmic rhymes
Of forest echoing voices sending missiles far of.

Mother Ochịchị,
Your endless echoing lullabies
Which saturate the flesh on immersion
After the day’s toiling & tilling
Send sun-smashed bodies to sleep.

Mother Ochịchị,
You beat your chest & dared drought
When it raised its vengeance eyes on Nibocians
Your motto became, ‘come ye who thirst’
Climbing your hill up & down was an exercise
Humans trod with trotting troll carrying earthen pot.

Mother Ochíchí,
In your presence, there is no time nor season
You maintain peace and live with nature
As your children crawl to you on daily basis
Each with its prayer point of pot professing your love
You fill each freely to the brim with your colourless gift.

Mother Ochíchí,
You outlived ancestors whom you served
And you are serving their children who are living
You never looked back even in your abandonment
As faucet came and took all your children
None comes to suckle your running udder
But you are patiently praying & waiting.

NWOKEABIA IFEANYI JOHN

is a poet and teacher. He has a Nigeria Certificate in Education and Bachelor of Arts in Education, both in English Language. His poem ‘How Our Lights Were Put Off’ was shortlisted on the ENDSARS poetry competition organised by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers in collaboration with International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), USA. His poem also appeared in the anthology ‘The Best of 2020 Poet of the World,’ a publication by Inner Child Press, USA. His other works are published in different online platforms like Poemhunter, Voicesnet, Calseriesblog, Qwenu, Opinion Nigeria, etc.