The Dilemma Of The Scapegoat

Poem by ImeBanks

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I am a scapegoat!
We are your scapegoats!
Perching on Daura's moat
Our soul whisked away and left to roast.

We have paid the price
Too much for the prince
And he sneaked into our homes
And bound our hands and bones

Bourdillon is asking for sacrifice
We paid before with our garri and rice
And another!
And another!

Now he wants our hearts
Pulled out without a voice
Your bloody hands gripping your darts
We are your scapegoats without a choice

Princes walking on foot on our dusty land
You raped our lands and took our portions
Our fathers were forced to sell their rations
Your wolves moan and roam for Sugarland.

It is enough!
It is enough!
The scapegoat is drained out
Blindfolded and thrust out into the desert.

The scapegoat knows not where he is going
And those who torment him know nothing too
Except that some wolves are dogging his steps
And soon...And soon...And soon.

Far into the dark nowhere
The scapegoat is ambushed somewhere
Another wolve in a sheepskined agbada
Wolves!
Wolves!
Wolves everywhere!
Wolves and bloody wolves!
And the blood dripping from his fangs
And we have nowhere to run to
And we cannot even run
Our soul is escaped out of fright.
And the cry of the scapegoat fizzles out
Into the dark lonely desert night
Did he die out of fright
Or his heart was ripped out by a bloody wolf
And no one knows
And no one cares.
The sacrifice is done!

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Ime Eshiet is a Veteran Journalist, a Revivalist, a Poet & a Novelist. He is the author of The Invisible Woman, Sentiments & Scarecrows And Other Poems, etc. He is from Nigeria, and his writings are influenced by Political, Socio-Economic & Religious realities in Africa in general.