Once Upon a Time
BY GABRIEL OKARA
Once upon a time, son,
theyused to laugh with their hearts
andlaugh with their eyes:
butnow they only laugh with their teeth,
whiletheir ice-block-cold eyes
searchbehind my shadow.
Therewas a time indeed
theyused to shake hands with their hearts:
butthat's gone, son.
Nowthey shake hands without hearts
whiletheir left hands search
myempty pockets.
'Feelat home!' 'Come again':
theysay, and when I come
againand feel
athome, once, twice,
therewill be no thrice-
forthen I find doors shut on me.
SoI have learned many things, son.
Ihave learned to wear many faces
likedresses – homeface,
officeface,streetface, hostface,
cocktailface,with all their conforming smiles
likea fixed portrait smile.
AndI have learned too
tolaugh with only my teeth
andshake hands without my heart.
Ihave also learned to say, 'Goodbye',
whenI mean 'Good-riddance':
tosay 'Glad to meet you',
withoutbeing glad; and to say 'It's been
nicetalking to you', after being bored.
Butbelieve me, son.
Iwant to be what I used to be
whenI was like you. I want
tounlearn all these muting things.
Mostof all, I want to relearn
howto laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
showsonly my teeth like a snake's bare fangs!
Soshow me, son,
howto laugh; show me how
Iused to laugh and smile
onceupon a time when I was like you.
