Childhood memories are like the sun bird and the sweet nectar
The memory is a pollinator that defines our youth
As a young child, barefooted I trekked to fetch the happiness from the stream
And the barrel at home must be filled
Unless mum would frown at me
Mum would call my name to tease the forest birds
Her voice trails the heart of the forest in echoes
And I would know she has returned from where she sells
Childhood memories are like the ocean, it never dries
How we ran and jumped in the rain
With undiluted joy in our hearts
How we hunted for grasshoppers
Chased the little pretty birds
To get hold of them, dallied at the rolling of tyres
Our motor we’d call it
In those days, joy had no option than to dwell in our hearts
Our slates, we throw aside
When we return from school
No extra tutors, yet we passed with ease
With catapult round my neck
I trekked distance in the bush to hunt the games that brought me joy
Joy had no option than to dwell in our hearts
We had pictures, we threw to the wall in a game
The nearest to the wall is paid a picture
And we feel like it is money in our hands
In unison, we built houses with palm fronds
Gathered gravels and stones to cook delicacies
As we thought
Making contributions of the condiments
Our kites fly like birds in the air
And our joy knew no bound at all
In that union, there was a strong bond
The love was there
To harm one another existed not in our lexicon
By Linda Okafor and Dim lfeanyichukwu
