Damp Dampy of a Season

by Kufre Udeme

When the sliding rain was beating the roof
Thatch thatchy of a roof
I lay under a wrapper on a bed
Bamboo bamboomy of a bed

When much cold coated the wall
Earth earthen of a wall
I built heat and light with kernel shell and firewood
Tan tanny of a firewood

When the stunted flame provided only some warmth
Rain raiment of a warmth
I brought down from the rafter onto the fire a dry corncob
Spark sparking of a corncob

When the roasting was done for the mouth
Desperate desperated of a mouth
I buried some pears in scalding dust and charcoal
Glow glowing of a charcoal

When the wild flesh had turned mild like butter
Oil oily of a butter
I grabbed it with the corn and matched them as a delicacy
Delicate delicious of a delicacy

When the munching swallowed recognition of the season
Damp dampy of a season
I strengthened it onward with a serpentine tale
Deep deepen of a tale

When the sliding rain persisted in beating the roof
Thatch thatchy of a roof
I wondered what we Africans shall do in this
Damp dampy of a season.

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[Author’s note] I wrote the poem in mud walls and thatch roof kitchen on a rainy day. I was warming myself by the bamboo wood fire, and it reminded me of the olden days of wet season. I decided to write a poem about it. The poem tells what usually took place in ancient Africa during rainy season, especially in my own tribe, the Ibibio.

Ibibio house