The Sybil
For Nneka, the inspiration

From Black Session | Buy here

In those days of old

in that season of yoke

when things had fallen apart no longer at ease

our period of domination at its peak;


in those days of much sorrow in our world

lived a gifted one who from our port city in the south come

but belonged everywhere

and at the same time nowhere

at home among us in the north

as in the south

among us in the west

as in the east;


our misery in those days a lead in her heart

making her weak of might

her spirit edgy

her soul heavy

lost, she searched for her sanity

in all of humanity

singing songs of love

preaching sermons of hope

searching, singing, preaching, her crown hid

underneath a shawl of black gold dipped

of blood stained

of suffering drenched;


she was us, she became our voice

our bard rhyming our anguish in lyrics

her songs lament for the tribulations plaguing our world

her sermons comfort for our dominated spirit

in songs and sermons she told us together we must forever stand

in our battle for freedom and fight united we must and we ain’t ever givin’ up

told us to keep on walking

to keep on doors knocking;


she also sang and preached of us

in the world beyond the great sea

in lyrics and sermons knocking all over the earth on doors of power

wailing for our domination to be over;


preaching, singing, on doors of power knocking

until one day, inspired, her intuition heightened

she realized all was not well as many years singing and preaching on the stage of history

our tribulations remained unabated in that period of misery;


so it was that after years of singing and preaching

she retired and on her knees got besieging

the gods for guidance, with her flesh

with her blood

with her heart

with her mind;


the gods were astonished by her honesty and devotion to spiritual growth

like that of Job they knew her heart

was of gold made

her devotion to her people pure and strong;


so, in their mischief and benevolence, the gods

conspired to initiate her, elevate her in spirit

divine intervention

holy innervation

to do that they had to get her to the Temple, so turbulence in her they caused

and a desire for solitude, a fracture of her golden heart;


and so it was she retreated from us

barricaded herself in her house;


isolated from us, the world

the gods set to work on her:

in her they nurtured Adam

guided her away from Eve

they cleansed her bright coat of many colors

cloaked her spirit in valor

they built in her a fire with water

stoked until her imagination ignited and her perception shifted the fire;


thus the gods brought her to the Temple

the world within world, the realm sacred

“You who from the Star come,

in Saturn womb,

on Earth born of a woman,

our earthly conduit,

with Cynthia

in the house of Leo,”

they called her by her cosmic identity as she sat there with them, the vibration intense

she answered them without words, her body trembling, her energy immense;


the gods let her behold them, the angels

let her climb with them up the ladder of Jacob,

the stairway to the stars, up, up to the door of Heaven

the throne of God, the Holy of Holies;


at the door of Heaven

they nudged her onward toward the Holy of Holies

there she was facing the throne of God, His Majesty Most High

she trembled at the sight of God

stunned by the radiance of Love

her crown quivered, her scalp tingled, as exploded in her head a thousand points of light;


so it was in a flash

she saw and knew

understood it All

revelation – having come face to face with Love;


some sunrises on

emerged she the Temple from

Capricorn rising

Unicorn prancing;


her door wide open we entered

round her revelation words sought we gathered

mouthed our hope we

pleaded with our eyes did

for her to tell us the counsel of God

the words of Love;


silent she

on her big

broad mouth

a smile

her dimples noble

her cheeks lofty

her deep eyes

of hope hued

of expectation tinged

radiant as a star

her crown hid

underneath a shawl white and blue;


impatient we waited

our breaths bated

our hearts heavy

our eyes eager

lingered on her

seeking revelation words

eager to hear the words of Love

from the Temple deep she brought;


from her heavenly lips a sermon:

“Maintain your mind,

keep your focus,

we have a bright shining star

keeping watch over us,

our deliverance is near,

soon our kingdom come,

we belong to God,

we belong to Love,

we are One,

walking in the Light”;


she gazed at us, smiling, glowing her face, radiant her eyes, said:

“Nothing

Needed

Except

Knowledge – the

Ark”.


Not long after that had begun our deliverance

the period of renaissance

that would eventually lead us here

this period of our rebirth where

we were reborn in freedom and justice

in prosperity, knowledge and peace;


it was then we knew, at last, that:

Knowledge is all

true revolution is peace

now you know

can’t say you don’t.

© 2023 Ségun Ògúntólá


© 2006 Ségun Ògúntólá