RETENTIONS (A Tuk Verse Poem fuh Kamau)

1
Fingers cap ’e head an’
den interweave
minus knowledge ah wuh it mean.

“Boy, wha’ wrong wid you? Some-
body in you flat
dead?” De neighbuh remain tuh chat.

2
One night wid Nolly¹ on
de scene reborn:
fingers lock in a moaning dread.

He smile real long and slow,
suh glad tuh store
one more gem fuh de griot book.

¹ Nollywood: Nigerian film industry.