A crosschecked destiny

a sign will show
under ifa’s guidance
twenty-one cowries
one filled calabash
opon would ask for
seven women in white
seven women in red
seven women in black
with a worthy arugba
time is the message
earth can’t dodge the rain
that pours with libations
we pray for the rain
to spread the message
that returns with arugba
won’t matter if you’re black
there won’t be a shed of red
won’t matter if you’re white
it’s what you stand for
when we open the calabash
that counts as cowries
under ifa’s guidance
a sign will show

Tomide Abdul