LIVE BY THE ROD,LEAVE BY THE ROAD

PART ONE

a fruit is borne
but a child is born
thats how the story of Juma began
a boy child born of my clan
i still have the vivid memories
when his story began just like other stories
noo, not with once upon a time
but with a little spice, sweet as sugar that soon would turn lime
i recall during his naming ceremony
as i stood at their house's balcony
overlooking the elders in their traditional attire
encircling the mother holding the boy dearly by the fire
and that is when they started chanting
summoning their ancestors' for favour and intervention granting
and there and then is when the elder of the elders voice rose to a climax
the other's voices drowned and coated slowly like cooling wax
he suddenly stopped, eyes closed
his mouth mumbling unheard words like a hermit lost
moving gallantly towards the young seed
skin as dark as the grazing field
he placed his hand upon the boy's head
carresed it a little, patted him and said
"and by the verdict of our ancestors
may you be called Juma, an iron is your life's status"
i smiled to myself gazing at the rising sun
towards the stairs spiralling to the ground floor i spun
my heart the paper my heart the pen
"as long as he is sane, i wish to see his gains and pains
his story like any other
needs one who shall be its author"

....to be continued.....