'To Palm Wine'

17:07 - 11 August 2015

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Palm wine is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree. This is a popular Yoruba song in praise of the drink.

Alimotu of the gourd Lamihun in the fibrous clump Dawn it is that heralds your approach Then evening comes, the drum crooks tapsTaps, taps in gladnessMistress of tuppence only, yetChased the millionaire into the forest.

You are that which the horse drankdrank, drank, and forgot his horns. You are that which the cock drankdrank, drank and forgot to urinate.You are that which the guinea-fowl drank,drank, till a cry pierced his throatand he took to the wilds…

from Reflections. Nigerian Prose & Verse,edited by Frances Ademole, Wole Soyinha & Chinua Achebe,African University Press (1962)