Aniglida

I, Aniglida, am the dangerous serpent.

When we, the snakes of our forests

Take thirty-seven log strokes

From the hands of our enemies,

I walked safely home

While the rest of my generation

Ache and quake and cake in a cage

Of eternal death.

I am the most courageous soul;

All others may suffer comas

At the sight of one half of my woes

But since a hunter doesn’t say

All the mysteries of his art

I kept my secrets upon oath.

It is not cowardice

That mutes the cat

At the sight of events

That makes dogs bark with shameless thunders.

Let the gourd that thinks itself the greatest

Pay a visit to the riverside at dawn.

 30/5/2012 Lome, Togo.