ABIKU BY J.

P CLARK
Coming and going these several seasons,
Do you stay on baobab tree?
Follow where you please your kindred spirit
If indoors is not enough for you.
5 True, it leaks through the thatch
When floods brim the banks,
And the bats and the owls
Often tear in at night through the eaves,
And at harmattan, the bamboo walls
10 Are you ready tinder for the fire?
That dries the flesh fish up on the rack
Still, it’s been the healthy stock
To several fingers, too many more will be
Who reach to the sun?
15 No longer then bestrides the threshold
But stop in and stay
For good, we know the knife – scars
Serrating down your back and front
Like beak of the swordfish.
20 And both your ears, notched
As a bondsman to this house,
Are all relics of your first comings?
Then step in, step in and stay
For her body is tired,
25 tired, her milk going sour
Where many more months gladden the heart.

ANALYSIS OF ABIKU
This poem, Abiku talks about the mythical world of a child, the
stubborn spirit Abiku that goes and comes back to its mother for
rebirth on a continuous process.

This poem is an appeal to Abiku to show pity on the ill-fated mother

whose lot has been to bury one child after the other. Lines 1 – 4
command the Abiku child to stay permanently outside if the house
cannot accommodate it instead of coming and dying and through this
inflicting unnecessary punishment on his family.

Lines 5 – 11, the bad state of the house is revealed and the hardship
can really be unbearable to new babies given to the family by God.
The leaking thatch that allows in rains and the bats and owls are all
signs of poverty and insecurity.

Lines 12 – 14, remind Abiku that such homes, like his, have raised
many children and will raise more who will later become notable
achievers. He then softly appeal for a permanent stay by the Abiku.

Lines 17 – 23, the poet mentions the marks that have been made on
Abiku in his earlier comings; in order to identify and punish him.

Lines 23 – 26, constitutes of statements of appeal to the Abiku to

come in and stay and have mercy on the fragile mother and her
household. Abiku is also encouraged to stop his indecision of one foot
in and one foot out of the house.
POETIC DEVICE
Alliteration: “Several seasons,” “through the thatch”, “brim the
banks”, “fresh fish,” “many more,”” step in, step in and stay,” and
“many more mouths”.

Symbolism: Line 2 – baobab tree, line3 – kindred spirit representing

supernatural object which Abiku associates with line 5 - leaking
thatch, line 9 – baobab wall are signals of poverty. Line 7 – bats and
owls indicate fear and darkness.

Onomatopoeia: line 18 – serrating.

Simile: Line 19 – like the beak of the sword-fish, line 21 – As a

bondman to this house.

Metaphor: Line 6 – Floods brim the bank, line 10 – fire.

Synecdoche: Line 13 – several fingers.

Repetition: Line 23 – Step in.

Alliteration: Line 26 – “Where many more mouths…..” (m).

Assonance: Line 1 – “Coming and going,” “and at harmattan line 9.

THEMES
 The themes in this poem include:
1. Africa belief in Abiku
2. Theme of poverty
3. Theme of torture
4. Theme of fear and uncertainty
5. Supernatural influence and control.

MOOD
The mood of the poem is that of deep frustration, unquantifiable
disappointment, and sorrow. With the coming and going of Abiku, his
family is covered with untold hardship and subsequently resigning to
fate.