Kokorokoo – A Nightmare

Kokorokoo!!!! — “Cockadoodle doo”
He said…
A raucous voice in my sleepy head
Kunieee!! — “wake Up”
Teta n’ula — “wake up from sleep”
He crowed in my head

Startled I awoke
And the cockerel spoke
His voice rang out in my head

“Chi efo go, anwu a putago” — “Morning has broken the sun is up”
“What are you still doing in bed?”
I bolted upright regarded the cockerel
Befuddlement filled my head

His beady eye fixed on me
An unblinking stare
Avian look, from one side of his head
“Do I look like a spook?”
Again…this strange bird spoke
“Why are you still in your bed?”

He approached, he flew
It appeared that he grew
I am transfixed in my bed
This strange cockerel
Odd, I think what a weird bird
For real, or is he in my head?

His mighty wings start flapping
Wind is rushing
His beady eye is flashing
He approaches to show his might
I feel my heart racing
Pray what am I facing?
A silent scream…Fright, flight, fight!!!
In my head!

Kokorokoo
He said
A loud voice crashing in my head
With trashing limbs, twisted
My view becomes misted
I shriek and fall out of my bed!

Kokorokoo!!!!
He said…
A hoarse voice in my sleepy head
I get up off the floor
Stomp out of the door
To find, catch and cook that silly bird!!

Chinwe Uwatse (2014)