What the Sea Does by Kwadwo Opoku-Agyemang

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 Interlude 1: What the Sea Does

For Valika

Love of my lean years

My sword scatters your stars

The abyss looks back at me 

Full with goodbyes:

What was if now is

On a cloudy day 

The sky squeezes the cheer out of her hair

Her pain is pompous 

Pilate washing the wrong hands

And after the harmattan

The sweating sleep comes

The rain washing its hands

Soiling the drought, afraid to commit

I will do with you

What the sea does with the shore

The harmattan with the dry skin

I will bend lean and course warm

I will be still and happy

The way you pause

Wise in the ways of love

I will rest with you, love of my lean years 

The way dust settles in corners when tired

The night has fallen on my argument

Trumpet gone sour, arms fallen as in war

And the birds haven flown

Here I am spreading songs over the sunset

While strange hungers walk barefooted

Over bellies and judgement, counting the dead

I shall remember you as you are

Love of my lean years