"Fortnight" by Yahaya Abdullahi

Our temper, hot and high

Under fierce and scorching

Canopy of sun

As each hour sweated our bodies,

Flies clump on our sweat scented shoulder

Such was the march in March

Out of hatred

We snatched our future

And honour to our forefather

We have given much

To one who had drawn hot tears

From our forefathers’ eyes

And with joint hands,

We murdered the sun

Before May 29,

A ‘morrow that refuses to come

Yesterday was a fortnight.

Now our hope lies

Under the feet of ugly vultures

We saw flameless hell,

And called it a garden of roses.

Yahaya Abdullahi studies at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State.