She Was Raped

Because she was beautiful
Fresh, virginous, promising
She was gang-raped

She was resourceful
With fruits upstairs, crude downstairs
And sweet magic everywhere

She was gang-raped
First by strangers
Who voyaged here

From across the big river
To pick the pods
And oil their engines

Then by her own children
Incestuous, amoral thugs
Thieves, robbers, murderers

They gang-raped her
For 46 + 50 years
Now they are celebrating.

By Ibrahim Sheme
Abuja
September 30, 2010