"Kpangolo" by David Osaodion Odiase

Three idle boys went and what

three empty tins they brought

and six sticks of camwood

beat their drums so rude

and they felt so highreh!

Like rasta-men who got drunk

little pant-less girls that came

got hypnotized by their funk

another new boy joined

in their small movement

with his pawpaw trumpet

leavened their merriment

and they felt so highreh!

Like rasta-men who got drunk

more pant-less children that came

got hypnotized by their funk

another boy washing his plates

lent it and a cooking spoon

until the percussion so oozed

made a dancer of the afternoon

and they felt so highreh!

Like rasta-men who got drunk

little pant-less girls that came

got hypnotized by their funk

off they went in circles

round every pale mud house

the fence lizards acknowledged

and rats clapped with their spouse

and they felt so highreh!

Like rasta-men who got drunk

more pant-less children came

and got hypnotized by their funk

then ran a fat woman

into their jolly campaign

and grabbed her son on air shoes

shebi! i told u to wash the plates

crank whip – pa and po

sweats on his tribal marks

the beating of a woeful boy

and his unforgiving mother

like blown away powder

of wind applied with magic

the party of our dear tin drums

fled and disowned trumps and sticks

after a while and half past eve came

a sweeping woman and her bin

but ah! I wish she knew;

what unordinary tool they'd been.

David Osaodion Odiase is an upcoming poet who hopes to change the world through poetry. An ND2 student of Food Technology at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, David hails from Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.