Mango Trees Of Jigawa

Mango Trees Of Jigawa
© Surazeus
2026 11 07

To store dreams in magazine of her brain 
Anyanwu glides along the river shore, 
heart swelling with joy at the jaunty chirp 
of black-winged Ibadan malimbe birds 
that causes her to become one with light 
though men in helicopters shoot at ghosts. 

Watching soccer game on the flashing screen 
when girls of her nation win the world cup, 
Anyanwu cheers and dances with delight 
at courage of the human soul to fight 
for victory against decay of death 
by kicking ball of sorrow at the sky. 

I am Eyes of God in this mortal realm, 
Anyanwu sings while strumming long Garaya, 
who dreams this world alive so She may know 
complex emotions of the pulsing brain 
that powers passion of the mortal heart 
to savor pleasure of romance and fruit. 

Taking shelter from sudden thunder storm 
beneath canopy of Iroko trees, 
Anyanwu breathes sweet scent of rain in mud 
that radiates from broad fields of tangled vines, 
then gasps surprised to see the crocodile 
transform into tall man with slender arms. 

Astonished at grace of his lithe advance 
when he offers mango of his bruised heart, 
Anyanwu accepts gift of humble hope, 
so she decides to walk the signless road 
with him through steamy marsh of the God Toad 
whose song excites her heart with love for life. 

Returning to work at the hospital, 
dressed in white uniform of the staff nurse, 
Anyanwu tends patients wounded by war 
when men fight men over whose god is real, 
then wears ivory masked gilded with gold 
while she plays violin on bomb-blasted tank. 

Glowing warm with cosmic light of the sun, 
that distributes life to organic bodies, 
Anyanwu dances on the river stone 
free among mango trees of Jigawa 
which capture solar rays in golden fruit 
that nurture minds of mortals with pure love. 

Suckling new-born son of her fertile heart, 
whose eyes gleam black with unlight of the moon, 
Anyanwu sees reflected in his soul 
all her ancestors born again in flesh, 
so she sings tale of the trickster god Gizo 
who appears as spider with star-god eyes.