BENUE MASSACRE Dirge for the Victims

                                                  Poem by Ochai G. Isaac

Edugwu cried thus:

What a season cruel & bloody!  

Corpses are handpicked like mushrooms!

Children sleep and adults sleep in blood!

See the land is blood-clothed,

See the people swimming in blood-pool!

NO!

My eyes have seen butchers!

Not the butchers of cattle-harsh butchers of men!

Hold fast this alien he’s come anew to do wicked!

Let our swords take to arm-

But they might pass away with the war

For alien’s sword’s twice mightily remade! 

O what a season of death!

Otubu our giant hulk had slept,

Odudu the nimble hunter was smoked!

And behold Epengede our drummer in coffin!

Behold our children roasted like yam!

Behold butchers of men like cattle!

O! What a season of death.

I hear mourn from Guma region,

I see coffins in procession to memorial park,

A season, bloodthirsty season! 

Console Etrukpe who gave all to war!

Her property, her children and husband traveled!

Console Udende whose son’s eyes were plucked,

Mourn Egwuju who visited farm but butchered!

 O what a strange wind that blows!

Babies sleep and aged sleep-

Even many unborn are dead alive!

Who shall live to tell the tale?

Who shall bury the dead when all man dies?

O what a season cruel & bloody!