written originally for Iraq, and Mecca, and Amina Lawal about to be stoned: March 2003. Now also for Kano, and Afghanistan, and Mali…

A million march of contrite feet
Have trudged on these bright hallowed grounds
While rams of hate graze along in God’s own fields.

Heavy paces in annual contrition
Have trekked like peasant armies on a sea of evil heads,
On thousand squelching grains of stone
As small rocks of war.

Thousand heads have rolled in this dust
In mounds against target gods…

“We are stoning the Devil”
We are always stoning the devil.

Eternal zest with religious strength
Have pelted the Significant with harsh pellets
And a stone will to fiery extinction, yearly,
At varying levels of human will…

“Gbosa!”

Rocks have darted across in wilful spread
on evil personified ahead of the surging crowd.
Hate yet thrives in unnumbered axes
In rains and moulds, on hills and western skies.

So cast the first stone then
When evil remains in hearts across the open earth.
Cast a stone as hate grips like a fiery noose
Around a strained neck of drunken love?

Cast the first stone.

On a crooked way to light
Always lies this crude, black rock.

_________________________

Culled from Headfirst into the Meddle (2005)

(c) Kola Tubosun.