Enugu became the seat of the Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War. Radio Biafra, headquartered in Enugu, transmitted daily status updates from the warfront to the people of Biafra. As starvation and death overwhelmed the Republic, the voice of Radio Biafra became the voice of God.

 

I.

the stream that catches war’s peculiar rainfall? Or,

the spigot from where salt sprinkles the mourning?

the crack where groans seep into sky? Or,

the spear of salvation? Or,

the Israelites hearing from the god-cloud? Or,

skin-draped rubies strung from barbwire trees?

the groan clotting in God’s throat while our fate clings to wire taps?

did He barbwire trees to the sky to keep us from clinging?

is our blood the rainfall that puts God at ease? Are

we just fetching Him from the stream of our lives? Or…

 

II.

We seep into trees, into sky falling,

keep our sere cries out of God’s hearing,

groan streams of barbwire to catch the war falling,

to catch the war falling from the sky.

 

God sits on rubies, hangs our fear out every morning—

barbwires a tree in the shape of a cloudless warning.

We sip rubies from the stream every mourning

& after hang our throats out to dry.

 

III.

O, Enugu sky mourning from

where ruby salt falls, from where

cloud-filled promises wandered—

finally, at ease, our salvation.