Love Poem: November, 93

November, 93

Twas like every November before it, 
But this one came with an air of uncertainty,
For the drums of celebrations had halted in may.
When Owen celebrated his second birthday.

Fate was finally smiling at Evbareke
Those around her had thought, 
For indeed she, the child whose mother abandoned just nine months after her birth.

And left in the care of her sick father,
Aged grand mother,
Family members who cared less 
For her existence.

Had grown to become a beautiful girl, 
Whose nature was fair,
Like the back of a ripe alimo fruit
Which falls bountifully in the Month of March.

She, the girl whose childhood 
Was characterize by total neglect and
Destitution had out of nothing found favour, 
In the eyes of a decorated soja man.

Fast forward to 1989.
Her civil servant father died of an eerie
Circumstance; a live fish was removed 
From his stomach.

Her life regained some sanity when
The soja man married her, 
Immediately after Her father's burial. 
He had promised to stay with her forever 
And make her happy.

But nightmares also do come to pass.
Oga soja had a first wife at home,who 
discontinued child birth after two children.
Her every action brought doom
To every one that crossed her path.

Fast forward to August 93,
The pressure from oga soja's first wife 
Became unbearable, but oga soja in his kind 
Nature, comforted her.
After all, she has given him 
Three boys with another one on the way.

Death would strike again 
But this time it came in form of a mere cold.
A cold that started on a very hot afternoon 
All means and measures to quell the cold were abortive.

So death was inevitable, 
It came that morning when oga soja told her to 
Forgive him because he had worsen her plight.
"Look after our children" were his last words.

That November she was told to marry 
Oga Soja's younger brother, 
Who promised to cater for her 
And her children.
She refused and decided to go her way
And raise her children all by herself.

Interjection;
Do not take it too seriously 
Life will happen to her and her children,
Who defied all odds to live a good life.
And when she is asked what her biggest
Regret in life is?
She would say November 1993.


Godwin Henry Osaigbovo (Pa Shakespeare)