D.M Aderibigbe-l

Red Sorghum

for the Nobel winner – Mo Yan

What is so red about the sorghum?
What is Nobel about a Chinese?

But you’ve seen it all,
Haven’t you?

You’ve seen the rare flair from the
Farms of Shandong, sitting
On the tops of enlightened pens.

You’ve seen the excellence, posted
On the pages of fiction with
Chinese A, B, and C.

You’ve seen the disobedient boy,
Who rebels against slave-drivers,
With intellectual defiance.

You’ve seen the warrior, who fights
War with his stellar writing.

You’ve seen the unknown swollen-eyed
Man, leading the way for the
Glinted-eyed.
But you’ve seen it all,
Haven’t you?

You’ve seen your blood in the sorghum,
And you’ve seen the Shakespearean Romeo
In the Chinese.