this life no balance. Person wey chop
say na god. Hungryman say him time to chop
don near. Pikin wey no suffer think say him wise.
Abeg who teach am? If life do am, him go surprise.
Na the story for we county. Dem kill man
put for road. Police say na robber. Na we sabi
who he be, wetin he carry. He no thief pass woman
heart with him dada hair. Na person daddy
lie down for street so. The pain pass my power.
I try hol’ am. I no fit. Water wey pour for my eye
reach to baf. Police say make we no waka for late hour.
Say dem go kill us finish. Remember say all die
na die. Make we arrange for street to talk as the matter
be for we body; before everything turn yam, pepper, scatter, scatter.
Ajibola Tolase is a Nigerian poet and essayist. His works have appeared in Prairie Schooner, New England Review, and elsewhere.