Emi, Mo wuwo!
Me, I am heavy!
***
My children, where have you?
They have removed you from home.
Iya abandoned her search.
***
The Watchmen are sleeping.
***
Awon omo mi sonu!
My Children are missing, O!
***
My loneliness travels along
the dusty veins.
Emotions scramble to find shelter.
***
Peace, in pieces,
I am a broken dish,
in the corner of the potter's house.
Yemoja, I cry for my children.
***
Emi, Mo wuwo!
Me, I am heavy!
Awon omo mi sonu!
My children are missing, O!
***
Awọn koriko ododo mi ti ku!
My flower pastures have died.
See, my tree, you are born.
***
The buds still wander along the petiole.
***
The roots still reach high,
but the intersections have retreated.
***
Ogún wa ti sọnu!
Our heritage is lost!
***
Emi, Mo wuwo!
Me, I am heavy!
For the land of Ebony is where you belong.
About the Creator
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Comments (3)
You weave the two languages together so well, I can't imagine the poem without both. I feel they're both integral to the main theme you present here, loss (of so many things), and even though there is repetition across translation, it creates a harmony. Beautiful read, heartbreaking and heavy with grief. I'm not usually so touched. "Peace, in pieces, I am a broken dish, in the corner of the potter's house. Yemoja, I cry for my children." Goodness, what a poignant metaphor. Gorgeous work!
This was so poignant. I especially loved the repetition of the lines!
This is very good! Yoruba? Interestingly, I was doing research on the Esan language this morning for a poem that is formulating in my mind.