and go to him,

eager to tell him

of my big plan.

UNDER OUR BREATH

we snicker

at the talkative old man

from Upper

who has no teeth,

at the woman from Lower

whose colorful headgear

is bigger

than a boat,

at the crowd of jolly people

waving their burning sticks

of cedar incense

in the air.

Even Mr. Goodluck Phillip is in

a festive mood.

He greets us

as he walks by

and after we finish jeering

and laughing

at his bizarre red outfit

and the thick, braided ribbon

lying on his chest

like a fancy necklace,

we make our way

to the front

of the crowd

where dozens

of other boys and girls

impatiently await

the start

of the first matches.

So, what do you think of my plan, Ebo?

Chale, I must say, it is the best idea you have ever had. You are a big fish, your cousin is a minnow. He does not stand a chance, he says, stuffing his mouth with red berries.

CELEBRATION

The festivities kick off

with the band

of drummers playing

as men and women

from each village

take turns

honoring the harvest

and entertaining the Kings.

The circle of spectators

cheer wildly

when one masked dancer

from Upper

performs a spider-like routine

on his toes

that is so dazzling

no one dares follow.

Then the drumming stops.

FACE-OFF

The announcer calls

everyone to attention.

AGOO! he screams.

AME! we scream back.

Then we watch

as the women fighters

with short, cropped hair

painted red

jump, kick, choke,

and try to squeeze victory

out of each other

in the dozen moments

that each match lasts.

REVERSAL

The last women’s match ends

when a brawler from Upper

with enormous legs

longer than me

gets tackled

but somehow

rolls on top of her opponent,

wrapping her legs

around the girl,

then flipping her over

so ferociously

that when her head

slams against the ground

the poor girl

is out cold.

The reward

for Long Legs

is song

and dance

and loud clapping,

plus gold bangles

and a basket

of kola and groundnuts,

which she hands out

to all of us

as she towers

through the crowd

on her victory march.

WHILE WE WAIT

for the sound

of the horn

that signals

the first men’s match,

Ebo tells a joke

about a flying lion

but right before he gets

to the funniest part

someone taps me

on the shoulder.

AMA

If you were a mango

I would peel you

Keep you for myself

then reveal you

If you disappeared

I would find you

Treat you like gold

and then mine you

If you were a secret

I would carry you

between my two lips

and then marry you,

is what I want to say

to the girl

who makes my stomach wobble

and my heart beat

like a drum

but what actually comes

out of my salty mouth is

Would you like some nuts?

CONVERSATION WITH AMA

Ete sen.