Amatoritsero Ede

    The Well

                 (for Harry Garuba )

there is a bitter weal
                well beyond tears
         lodged like blood clots      
                                                       in the heart

            a weal
      hardened
                within the well

                 of eyes
         itching to cry
          but wet and dumb

                 as a pebble       
                     in a throat 
                            that swallows the guts

till the wracked body
    and voice
             crack

when a son sees
          the father fall

           drop

like stone in a well
        sink
in a heap of mortal flesh

the old lion
unable to hear the cry
       of the cub

slumps down
into his brave-white
         fluffy mane

unable to paw   away
            the irritating fly
that is death

there is a bitter weal
       well beyond tears
or a tremulous whimper

silently
      pressed
against the pressed lips

as dumbbells cry
and father falls
       like stone

to the bottom
of the dry
             dark well