This Lagos
This Lagos
This city, their Lagos;
hills of refuse;
my mind bemused
by the dizzying sway;
of hips astray
this city:
bedlam’s nightmare
the scream mingled
by the conductor’s roar
if only you could sing a song!
one innocent look,
the vendors’ melee
a scream and crash
money and owner forcibly divorced
by the fingers of petty felony
the towers of concrete,
showers of greed
showers of moans
hum of human bees
over the leaden sound
this city
their walk, and stare
their pained drawn faces
of bewildered success
and frightened anger
their city, our longing
tap a human bee
get a human sting
a once over
they see in your bones;
another route to dirty merchandise