Fish Not Oil- and not in the crude

Fish Not Oil- and not in the crude  By: Oduware Stephen

Yester years fishes swarm in water                                                                                                                

and not in crude                                                                                                                                                

straight to the net, knowing it was a trap                                                                                                                   

but for the adventure of the strap                                                                                                                                        

Fisher folks clapped with thumbs up high                                                                                                                  

to the village square and some to the market square                                                                                                

and not in the crude

 

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What a great catch fisher hunter                                                                                                                            

what a slippery deceit                                                                                                                                 

am in the catcher adventurous fish                                                                                                                                                                          

is this not crab, crayfish, croaker, shawa?                                                                                                                                         

how much is sheke, adagba, woi, manati?                                                                                                                  

but for that one, I will pay for plethoric diversity                                                                                               

with my currency                                                                                                                                                         

and not in the crude

 

 

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Two and a half minutes past midnight                                                                                                                                                     

walked through the street, from coast to coast                                                                                                                         

fisher folks on the edge                                                                                                                                                     

looking straight without a gaze                                                                                                                                        

nets empty with a catch of dirt                                                                                                                                 

what has happened sighs on high                                                                                                                      

washed my face, luster of crude sheen running down my cheek                                                                      

and not in the crude

 

The water was here, it’s like a dream                                                                                                                                       

covered with crude, like a cream                                                                                                                              

where is my fish?                                                                                                                                               

Down there as it floats pale without a wave                                                                                                                 

trains are empty even in the squares                                                                                                                        

the big man says we can fish here                                                                                                                             

and not in the crude

 

Let's go the other way                                                                                                                                         

but the river is ground                                                                                                                                             

sand heap at the behest of the big man                                                                                                                       

where is my river, streams, creeks and flow?                                                                                                 

where is my fish Mr. big man                                                                                                                     

where is my water in the coast                                                                                                                                                   

and not in the crude

 

I will beat the big man                                                                                                                                             

but I have to be civil, political muscles is global                                                                                                         

fist without punch                                                                                                                                                        

to rise and march to his gate                                                                                                                                     

to demand my fish not oil

 

 

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