Response to Wislawa Szymborska’s “Receiver”

WaKe Up

as I wake up daily
I open my heart to learn
the teachings of the Yorubas
I’ve flipped to the book of life
and learnt that to live one’s dream
one stays awake and not asleep
sleep is death that you resurrect from
I questioned the use of the night, and
ifa says it is for a man and a woman
for tales by moonlight, and to rest
but eni rowo he loju ala to n dunu
e so fun ki o tepa mo sere nitori ebi
a man who eats a meal in his dream
should wake up to pray because
that may be the beginning of hunger
a man who sleeps with a woman in his dream
should wake up to pray because
that may be the beginning of doom
our forefathers passed through the tunnel
to put light on every path until the end.

Tomide Abdul

GLOSSARY
eni rowo he loju ala to n dunu, e so fun ki o tepa mo sere nitori ebi – Advice he who is happy because he finds money in his dream, to take his work more serious to avoid hunger