The Smiling Infant

The yell, the shriek
The piercing cry
Of that infant, the newborn
Seemed normal at first
Till it strangled and killed
The ululations, the dance, the joy
Of the three quarter, pain-watered fruit
The birth of the sun

This was mama’s birth day
Ruined by my yell prolonged
In place of joy seized fear
For this yelling infant
Unyielding to all effort
Away mama’s cronies went
Downcast
Their effort unappreciated

I swore and cursed
As baba narrated
The unfolding of my born-day
I thought it a relief
Had I joined in their joy
To kick, giggle and smile
To ease the pain
And give in turn
A culmination of joy
The smiling infant

I swore to appreciate
Friends above all
And wished I had
A good load of them
To remind me above all
Of mama’s birth day
And that smiling infant
I ought to be

I smile at your wishes
In a bid to appreciate
The effort of thine fingers
I grin as you wish me
A happy birth day
Though within bites
The yell and shriek
That clouded that day

I smile as you wish me
To outlive my predecessors
Though I know for sure
Limited our life-scale is
I smile as you regard me
To blow 1001 candles
While in sooth I confess
Never to have seen a birthday’s glow

As I watch the scramble
For this fictitious cake
Aglow with candles
I swallow a smile
Down with this rounded ball
Of delicious African cake

I smile awash with sweat
As I picture hard
The reality in your wish
The realization with which
I’ll sit and be happy
Blow all the candles
And cut the best of cakes
To have merry in the fullest
Yet with you, My friend

I can’t complain at all
For friends are meant to be
Good wishes to be appreciated
Without demur but a smile
For that’s what I ought to be
The smiling infant