Siluvai – The Cross
Deep slumber Siluvai was in
Peace enveloped his Being
Flies tasted nectar from his nostrils
Stink permeated the holy premise
Lied he like a crucified corpse
Ere the entrance of Christ, The King Church.
Long before jumped he from the convoy of life.
He crashed through the iron gates of life
Bleeding and whimpering in agony all alone
Like a child estranged from the mother
In a festival ground with no caring hands to hug.
Walked he through the Valley of Death
With the dark shadow of the black wings of
The Angel of Death hovering over his head
Sending a chill of panic through his spine
‘Enough! Enough!’! Cried out his soul from within
He undertook a journey back to his village
Like the Prodigal son of the noble past
With no loving father to embrace him.
Idiot, sinner, womanizer and alcoholic
Praises heaped on him by honest guys
Fate scripted damnation right from his birth as
He was christened Siluvai, meaning Cross
Which he carried till his death –his death
Liberated him from his agonies and aches.
Heard he many a sermons from Rev. Father
Alfonse, the holy man of the village
‘Wine, taken in due measure, gives health and mirth
So writes St Paul in his Epistle’
Thus preached Reverend Father
‘Why then condemn me Father as alcoholic’
Siluvai whimpered unto himself unheard.
The last sermon he heard was thus;
“I was hungry and ye fed me,
I was without clothes and ye clothed me,
I was sick and ye attended me
I was in jail and ye visited me
So the doors of Kingdom of God is open to you”
Thus sermonized Father Alfonse
‘Father! I am hungry, I am sick, I have no clothes’
Whimpered feebly Siluvai unto himself
Soon he slipped into The Glorious Light
Elders collected money from the laity
Donned Siluvai in pure white clothes
Buried him in the Church graveyard
His mud tomb carried his bio thus
Name; Siluvai
Born; 16/09/1964
Died; 14/08/2022
Unwritten words are thus
Permanent address; Heavenly Abode