THE SLEEPING GIANT

By Adeyemi Oluwaseyi

Once I saw a giant,

And such a great giant it was.

Great, awesome and fearful!

And all bowed before it

It went on and on trampling its way with its own big legs.

What a frightening sight it was!

The giant said to itself,

‘’I am the giant of Africa.’’

And behold pride swelled in its head

Arrogance sprung forth from its head

So that it could not distinguish between god and man

And ahead it went on trampling upon them all

Suddenly, a great sickness befell it

So much like kwashiorkor

That its legs began to diminish

And you could not distinguish them from that of a new-born

Its hands shrivelled up,

Like the hands of my great grandmother

Boned up in her earthly chamber below

What a terrible sight it was!

Its teeny legs could no longer carry its protruding stomach

Its shrimp neck could no longer its great head

And its skinny hand could no longer uproot obstacles

Its head filled with worms,

Its body now a sinking torso.

Became like a stagnant pool.

Old woman on a lonesome road.

Sitting and waiting for the disease to pass away

Trying all types of medication

Sitting and dreaming of better days before,

And having fewer dreams of better days ahead

Not content with sitting

But not making any active move to stand

Oh great giant of Africa!

I beckon on you!

When will you stand?

When will you stand tall and proud?

Trample like you did before?

The only answer I got was a snort.

It was fast asleep!

Adeyemi Oluwaseyi

Adeyemi Oluwaseyi is a teenager filled with the passion of literature. She is an unpublished poet and short stories writer. She is also an avid reader of novels and short stories alike.  She lives in Sagamu, Ogun State. Facebook: Adeyemi Oluwaseyi. Mobile number: +234 816 967 6960