Madness iswhen the earth lets a manlean on it then letshis father, mother, brothers,and sisters all die. Madness is when the goats bleat the cocks crow the frogs croak as if startled awake by terrible dreams, or a madman apostrophizing unseen demons.
Madness iswhen the warrior godcalls the initiatesto the altar stonein a masqueradeto play with deathto prove their mettleand fight imaginary foes. Madness is when the sons of Sundiata Keita and Mansa Musa, lost a cowrie shell, burned Timbuktu, then let the cold Harmattan winds ferry its ashes to Allah, so god could see their pain, and madness would see the madness of their faith.
Madness iswhen a pretty bird journeyed to a riverso the red birds and yellow birdssent to find it could be eatenby its rippling waters. Madness is when the crows in their ghostly bone-weary gait rip open the corn cobs up on a hill, without a scarecrow to protect them while the owl tells lies of contentment when it knows, it doesn’t eat corn or crows.
Madness iswhen the sharp horn of the buffaloturns into a sacrificial knifeupon the chest of another. Madness is when cowrie shells toil to stop the ocean from backing up against the shore, the crawfish telling the tides in Nyali beach to sacrifice fish eggs.
Madness iswhen a bird hangs death on a palm treeto release freshness and wet leaves,the palm nuts splitting on the ground. Madness is when alligator pepper is added to foamy palm wine and kola nuts until one has four eyes.
Madness iswhen a calabash is filled with mud and milk teethinstead of goat milk, which lets kids see what they see,makes infants reach for their nosesand fart like deities to tell us what to do. Madness is when the shade trees cast shadows on tilled land causing ill-health to creepers and the touraco bird as those heavy stones of the night, which induce sweat when heated to cure illness.
Madness iswhen a bird’s laughter followsbleak winds like the charred grassesthat make herd boys weep. Madness is when the old women blow reed flutes to summon nascent girls to circumcision.
Madness iswhen a brindled gnu on the steep slopes of Manga hissesthe sweet sound of the grasshopper, then abandons its young. Madness is when the hunger season arrives, and builders pluck fresh mildew to create scarecrows.
Madness iswhen there is very little and the hens leaveto scavenge in the dog grass,and the hens that remain drink the sacred beerbrewed by spirits and fall, fall like madmenas a train rushing into a ravinea steep hill and down a mountain with sore feet. Madness is when the black centipede praises the open field where the crane bird found it––
but I tell you, madness, real madnessis the moon going into the darkwhere it is greeted by thoseapes on Virunga Mountains.
Photo by Aleksandr Kozlovskii on Unsplash