Abiku BY J. P. Clark

- February 21, 2020

ABIKU BY J. P. CLARK

Coming and going these several seasons,

Do you stay on baobab tree?

Follow where you please your kindred spirit

If indoors is not enough for you.

5 True, it leaks through the thatch

When floods brim the banks,

And the bats and the owls

Often tear in at night through the eaves,

And at harmattan, the bamboo walls

10 Are you ready tinder for the fire?

That dries the flesh fish up on the rack

Still, it’s been the healthy stock

To several fingers, too many more will be

Who reach to the sun?

15 No longer then bestrides the threshold

But stop in and stay

For good, we know the knife – scars

Serrating down your back and front

Like beak of the swordfish.

20 And both your ears, notched

As a bondsman to this house,

Are all relics of your first comings?

Then step in, step in and stay

For her body is tired,

25 tired, her milk going sour

Where many more months gladden the heart.

CONTENT ANALYSIS OF ABIKU

This poem, Abiku talks about the mythical world of a child, the stubborn spirit Abiku that goes and comes back to its mother for rebirth on a continuous process.

This poem is an appeal to Abiku to show pity on the ill-fated mother whose lot has been to bury one child after the other. Lines 1 – 4 command the Abiku child to stay permanently outside if the house cannot accommodate it instead of coming and dying and through this inflicting unnecessary punishment on his family.

Lines 5 – 11, the bad state of the house is revealed and the hardship can really be unbearable to new babies given to the family by God. The leaking thatch that allows in rains and the bats and owls are all signs of poverty and insecurity.

Lines 12 – 14, remind Abiku that such homes, like his, have raised many children and will raise more who will later become notable achievers. He then softly appeal for a permanent stay by the Abiku.

Lines 17 – 23, the poet mentions the marks that have been made on Abiku in his earlier comings; in order to identify and punish him.

Lines 23 – 26, constitutes of statements of appeal to the Abiku to come in and stay and have mercy on the fragile mother and her household. Abiku is also encouraged to stop his indecision of one foot in and one foot out of the house.

POETIC DEVICE

Alliteration: “Several seasons,” “through the thatch”, “brim the banks”, “fresh fish,” “many more,”” step in, step in and stay,” and “many more mouths”.

Symbolism: Line 2 – baobab tree, line3 – kindred spirit representing supernatural object which Abiku associates with line 5 - leaking thatch, line 9 – baobab wall are signals of poverty. Line 7 – bats and owls indicate fear and darkness.

Onomatopoeia: line 18 – serrating.

Simile: Line 19 – like the beak of the sword-fish, line 21 – As a bondman to this house.

Metaphor: Line 6 – Floods brim the bank, line 10 – fire.

Synecdoche: Line 13 – several fingers.

Repetition: Line 23 – Step in.

Alliteration: Line 26 – “Where many more mouths…..” (m).

Assonance: Line 1 – “Coming and going,” “and at harmattan line 9.

THEMES

The themes in this poem include:

1. Africa belief in Abiku

2. Theme of poverty

3. Theme of torture

4. Theme of fear and uncertainty

5. Supernatural influence and control.

MOOD

The mood of the poem is that of deep frustration, unquantifiable disappointment, and sorrow. With the coming and going of Abiku, his family is covered with untold hardship and subsequently resigning to fate.