Here lies papa, the bravest warrior

Who turned the cats back to the ground.

Whose mighty sword slain thousand soldiers at a sight

And his presence calmed the snarling hyenas

Salute to the mountainous beast among humans

Salute to the king tree, the iroko.

He, who fought the wind in a physical combat with a fist,

Oh papa, enfolded by glories, demon, flapping fans of war.

He walked with the lions of the forest

And his eyeball sent fears into the elephant’s heart.

Wolves trembled at his sight, here lies his corpse unmoved

Now,

He has gone to meet his ancestors

His glories diminishing unnoticed;

And his honour with held.

Death threw his door wide open to receive him

That glories Eke morning.

His bony claws were outstretched to hook into his heart,

And plucked out his life.

His cavernous mouth was determined to drink his blood

To the last drop.

Freedom! Papa cried and fought but the hands were too strong .

Stronger than the winds

Later,

The ground protested for freedom from his grip

As he joined them.

 They kept moving on razor edge to penetrate him

Mother earth wept for peace.

The worms hastened in

Alas! They all bleed the day to death.

Suddenly, the underworlds stared at the body

I understood their plight

Papa was stronger than them all.

 Ogbuefi, my elegy burst in the name of isieke

 Your ancestral home land.

The iroko has fallen.

The fallen iroko was once upon his glory

And men dared not look into his eyeball.

But here lies he, unmoved.

Feeble ants now laughed at him scornfully

Yes, we dreamt of conquering death.

So lives could live and grow sore not.

I remembered the lures of that ancient call.

Of what importance is life any way?

That man stumbled and struggled for evil.

Vanity, it is, vanity upon vanities.

But men understood not the call there of.

I will walk through the pains

Promising with all hopes

Not to turn down men of good will

For I pass this road but once.

To wait on this great green side   

  Till the coming dark clouds have cleared

Then, death be no more

And, father emerged in joyful smiles clothed in white

To welcome me home to dwell in his bossom with his Chi.

(JOHN CHIZOBA VINCENT)