NAIJA PIDGIN POETRY: A WIFE IN WARRI

I grew up in Warri, Delta State. Every Nigerian that is connected to the world about him or her have heard about this little town in the southern part of the country. The town's reputation is not always good due to misconceptions about the place spread by entertainers as well as folks who claim to be from the town while they do mad stuff.

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One of my favourite things about Waffcity as we call it, is the language of choice. Nigerian pidgin is beautiful but Warri pidgin is in a class of its own. It has no rules and takes every language into its bossom. Slangs are infused into the language every day. Received languages as well as indigent languages are also infused into its rich content.

The Warri pidgin is one of my favourite means of communication. Most folks are usually surprised to hear that I studied the English language in the University and when they read my writing, they just can't deal. It so funny, the way their eyes widen in surprise on hearing me speak the English language.

Why do I love Warri pidgin? It gives me a sense of freedom. The rules and structures of English language do not apply when one uses Warri pidgin. You can improvise, borrow, steal and no one would mind as long as what you say has meaning.

Below is a poem I wrote in Warri pidgin. I also included a translation for those of us who can't follow or understand the language. I hope you enjoy it and it adds to your knowledge of the world.

A WIFE IN WARRI

Dey look me. Her eye don tire,

Her hand wey stain with dry fish, dey close, dey open

As she dey clean her finger wey don break,

Then she come say;

“I no go run again.

Many times he go beat me, take my money.

Many times, he go force me for bed even when i don tire.

But e don end.

I don smell d fear for him braggadocio.

I don feel him small brockos for my hand –

Him water water sperm don fall like rain for my lap.

---

One day, he dey dere dey make noise like goat wey dey die –

Na so i just begin dey laugh for inside, for my mind.

As I just dey watch am, naim d fear just disappear

Like say pastor lay hands and Holy
Ghost fall on me –

Like as Ron Kennolly sing – ‘anointing fall on me.’

---

One day after dat day,

He dey dance on top of me like who get spinal cord injury

I just dey dere for d bed dey tink of wetin to wear

Go Mama Junior, baby dedication, go flex.

Na like ice water I dey, as he dey rake yesterday.

I no talk but as he raise hand to begin beat me,

Na so I head am like say na free kick.

Before him eye clear, I knee him brockos.

Na so marriage take end.

Now I hear say he wan take My Emiko from my hand.

I don buy water cane – me and am go die.”

TRANSLATION

A WIFE IN WARRI

Stared at me, her eyes ringed with strain,

Her smoked fish stained hands, closing and opening

As she cleaned her chipped brown nails

And then she said;

“I will not run again.

Many times he will beat me, and take my money.

Many times, he will force me on the bed even when i was tired.

But it has ended.

I have smelt the fear inside his braggadocio.

I have felt his small balls in my hand –

His watery sperm has fallen like rain on my laps.

---

One day, he was there sounding like a dying goat –

I just started laughing inside, inside my mind.

As I watched him, the fear just disappeared

As if a pastor laid hands and Holy
Ghost fell on me –

Like how Ron Kennolly sang – ‘anointing fall on me.’

---

One day after that day,

He was dancing on top of me like someone who had spinal cord injury,

I was just there on the bed thinking of what to wear

To Junior’s mother’s baby dedication.

I was like cold water, as he threatened me yesterday.

I didn’t say a word but as he raised his hand to beat me,

I gave him a head butt like it was a free kick.

Before his eyes cleared, I hit his balls.

That was how the marriage ended.

Now I hear that he wants to take my Emiko from me.

I have bought a cane – I and he will die.”

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY

Note:

The picture above is actually a picture of me. The link beneath it will take you to my pidgin poetry submission in a literary blog. I did it in case I pique your curiosity and you want to know more.

PEACE

©@warpedpoetic