Picture Four

across the great river lives a people
wearing ball-shaped materials sewn
into caps. the markings on their women
and children do not read like ours
to us, every man that looks like that,
wears a cap like that is known as musa.

second only to my wish to meet god
I wish to know musa and his way of life
the god he prays to, the food he eats
the reason why he would not farm
like myself, obi, and other boys
from our village. why my kinsmen
will not allow my sister to speak with musa
for my manhood is not man enough
to digest the ways of men.

I wonder what every one of these musas
thinks of me and my people.
I wonder how they perceive us.
I know only what I have been told.

Victor Oyedele