Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!


Mound of earth called ‘Kata’
Dangerous leopard who kills an animal and eats it raw
Your dress - dusted in camwood - resembles blood
Your silent waters, outwardly tranquil, kill so gently

My mother arrived from Bariba a long time ago
Kata mount, who kills with a knife
The eye of Death is regarded,
She trades indoors...kills outside
She is extremely old, yet she can outwrestle the evil traveller
Wrestling him to the ground
Circling him like a bird circles the World

Earth mound called Kata, we cover you with camwood
Woman who can kill the World
Who kills animals without using a knife.

(Translated from Yoruba by Jeff Davidson)