My talking drum tells sundry stories
Old and new
About my clan’s history
About our roots and our branches
When I beat my talking drum
The sounds summon souls
From far and near
They listen
They dance
Excited about the stories of my talking drum
My mother had warned me
Never to beat the talking drum
She told me several times
Women of our clan
Are not allowed make the drum talk
I insist on talking through my drum
Because stories of my clan
Our roots and our branches
Should not be told only by men
Through the talking drum
Ogunrinde Oyelola Adeola
Ogunrinde is a journalist and writer based in Lagos, Nigeria. She writes to distract herself from the political happenings in Nigeria. She started writing as a child, which inspired her to study journalism at university. Ogunrinde's works have been published in several journals in Nigeria and also had a short story published in Scarlet Leaf Review, Canada, and Fairlight Books UK.
So the poet is a stubborn child, who defied the orders of her mother never to beat the talking drum.
Interesting perspective.
When I beat…
The sounds summon souls…
(Beautiful line with visual and auditory energy)