Into Holes

I get the impression
you think
it is peculiar to fall into holes.
falling into
Obruni traps for laughter
Obruni money exchanged for barter
Obruni vision clouded by
Romance along red clay roads as the

cracked skin on my heels

kiss

cracked red trails that take me 

to Okponglo where you can’t touch

without being touched.

Inhale slowly to get high off reality

Drunken sobriety when faced with naivety.

End the night with medaase

I lie beneath you

weighed down by a belly full of plantains and pineapple.

Call ChaleChale. They smile at you because they get

the impression

you think it is peculiar to fall into holes.

Pick me up to tell me-

Education is Europeanization

Pick me up to tempt me-

You can buy it but it’s still not yours

Pick me up to ask me-

Where are you from? Again and again, hene hene hene, until

I finally tell you want you want to hear.

Fixed into light skin, never dark enough until

6:30 pm sunset.

Me pa wo kyew still not enough, so

Cover your thighs with kente cloth but never walk alone, else you might

fall into another hole.