Prints of a passing land
by Dennis Okyere Brako
I can smell
it, I can see it but I can’t touch it
The world is
ticking away; the passing of time
The breeze
is dry and the sky hazy, the leaves drops, the rain stops
Do you hear
the distant cry, the echoes of the dying forest?
The flicker
of the firefly in the dimming sky, the hornbill to its nest!
Where the
mudfish darts; the dry river beds! The palm withers!
The sky
showers; flakes of the burning forest! The deer runs
On its
trail; the clangs of the machetes, the dogs barks, the deer bleats
The child
races for the flying flakes! The flakes breaks!
In millions
the dry ground takes! Prints of a passing world
The crescent
looms! The night glows! The shout of the playing children!
Around the
embers, the children gathers! The aroma of the roasted cocoyam
The night is
quiet! The bell tolls marking another end! The passage of time!
Above the
horizon, a hawk circles and the chicken furrows! The chicks follows!
The hawk
swoops! The villagers hoots! And the hen boots!
Caught in
the talons, the chick squeaks! The hawk squeezes!
Behind the
thicket, a boy crouches, a bird perches, a catapult stretches
I see a
slink, the pebble flings and the bird sprints!
Behind the
mud house, a cat stalks, the lizard peeps and the cat seizes
The rays
dull, the child retires! a cricket chirps
A cock
bounces! A father calls! The children chases! The coop troops!
Times
passes! A rooster crows! The birth of a new dawn! A day is born
The bush
ruffles! The stream ripples and the bucket fills
A child
doodle! A boy looks! The squirrel scoots
The sun
rises! Shadows bounces! A girl dances
A raven
crows! The path bloats! Farmers’ crowds
Sun is
setting, farmers returning; produce are swaying!
I hear a
clang! The people listens! The crier speaks, the drum beats
The fires
dies! The village retires!! A lullaby rises!
An owl
hoots! A mother soothes and the baby snoozes
A stubborn goat dashes and the palm oil splashes! A mother vexes!
The boy chases! A rod is raised and the goat brakes!
There’s a thump and a loud moan as the goat jumps!
Around the coop a snake slithers a woman yells and menfolk gathers!
A stone is hurled, the snake coils and the men veers
A stick swooshes, snake wriggles and its midsection smashed
It lies lifeless, kids glimpses, the men disperses!
The Whiteman passes! Kids rushes! Cheers rises
The frogs’
croaks as the night drops! Fireside throngs and folklores are told
Faces focus
and ears erects! The tales are sentimental! Folksongs chanted
I hear the
interlude! Lessons are drawn! Children adore!
Like a
mamba! Do you remember when you were tender?
The world
you lived, with all the thrills are now prints of memories ordained?
