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Alo o




It was a still night!!

One could hear the silence!

The moon was full; there was no need for fire 

 Our huddled little bodies formed a great semicircle; 

 Children from up street and Children from down street. 

Baba crouched on his old stool, perched on the soft soil, 

 We could hear his teeth grinding on his bitter Kola;

 Every child thinks he does that, 

 to conjure a better tale than yesterday's. 

 Like other nights it could be 

 'Alo' or some moonlight stories, 

 Laughter, tears, anxieties bottled in our tummies 

 We all sat there waiting, till Baba was ready 

 And when'er he chewed on this Kola, 

he seems never in a hurry!

 "Wackhum!, khum!," Baba cleared his great throat 

 "Alo oooo!!", he called out, 

we replied, "alooo!!



*alo- a kind of moonlight storytelling in west Africa peculiar to the Yorubas 


©️ Demo Timothy 

twitter & instagram: @demotims

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