Thursday, November 19, 2009

Ekao



Invoking the woman who once fell to earth
and ascended as the mother of humankind.


Tonight, the sky lowers its roof
and we dream you fall
through the eaves of heaven
once again...

Oh! Woman, come into the fields
and gather your people.


Fill the jars with water,
the baskets with grain
and lend the tree
a shawl of blossoms.

Oh! Woman, come into the house
and light all rooms.


Burn the reeds bundled
in the corner,

strike the river stones
piled on the shelf,

and ignite the strength
of your family.

Oh! Woman, come and look
into the mirror
.
Change what you see --

The man without a boat
to catch his fish,

the bride without a loom
to weave her cloth

and children holding sticks
to rile dust or ants
as they play in the sun.

Oh! Woman ,come and cast your song
into the valley.


Your words fly and land,
feed and echo,

a white flock of birds
scattered along the spine of earth.

How beautiful to watch and listen
as we step back
praying in the shadows.

________________________________________________
Note -- The beautiful image is called "Fetish Out Of Africa" by French artist,
Marie-France Riviere. www.griviere.com/expo2000.



This beautiful portrayal of female beauty in both a tribal and vulnerable sense by Marie-France, inspired me to write a poem about an earth goddess from the Nigeria region.

Ekao is the Virgin female in East African belief; part myth, part religion, who fell from the sky and bore a son who married another woman. They in return, founded human society. Yet, Ekao is seen as the "mother divinity", the one who inspired and helped to perpetuate the creation of life. Associated with her being, are the elements of stone, water and clay. They represent the softness, endurance and growth of life and womanhood. This invocation or prayer, is a calling for her spirit to return, heal the village both spiritually and ecologically, and revitalize the human heart with the ability to believe and dream.

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