Now the bells are tolling–
A year is dead.
And my heart is slowly beating
the Nunc Dimittis
to all my hopes and mute
yearnings of a year
and ghosts hover round
dream beyond dream
Dream beyond dream
mingling with the dying
bell-sounds fading
into memories
like rain drops
falling into a river.
And now the bells are chiming–
A year is born.
And my heart-bell is ringing
in a dawn.
But it’s shrouded things I see
dimly stride
on heart-canopied paths
to a riverside.
—
Gabriel Okara was born in 1921 in Nembe in Rivers State, Nigeria. He is one of the most significant early Nigerian poets. Often concerned with the identity of his people, throughout his poetry, there is evidence of the influence of the traditional folk literature of his people. (Culled from A Selection of African Poetry, annotated by K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent)
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