Frederick Kwesi Great Agboletey
BLAZING TRAILS,
FIERY TRIALS
Treading hot coals,
Fiery burning coals,
Blazing trails
of trials
I have been
singed
Deep scars
of degrees of burns-
Feeling burning
pain,
Singeing chill
of biting cold,
Cold, cold
winters;
Energy sapping
reminders of charlatans,
Chilling to
fiery burning pain
Freezing very
marrow's of weary bones
My innermost
being, cold to touch-
Burnt smiles
Frozen into
stiff stillness
Subdued emotions,
no motions-
II
Succumbing
to burning shame,
Hot flushes
of humiliation
Blackened
darkness
Inflictions
of mindless horrors
Red, fiery,
blazing coals
In unconventional
conflagration,
Nature is
scarred-
Demented and
tortured souls
Deep in far
removed coldness of overgrown forest paths
Faces upraised,
turned to pale white moon
Seeking for
solace in strange places
In acts strange,
rituals ancient, manifestations fearsome-
Parched throats,
vibrating with hot breaths
Pulsating
rhythms of desperation-
III
From deep
and hidden cavities,
From forgotten
depths, from
Way down,
it emerges, a force
Rising from
constricted pit of churning stomach,
To over-ventilated
chest, emotions uncontrolled
Heaving chests,
twisted coils of hands
Wrung in infinite
degrees of agony-
IV
Re orientation!
Blazing coals,
tightened muscles
Fire, blazing,
muscles in upward motion,
Heavy hammer
Smooth in
descent,
Dented metal
Metal against
metal, sparks flying,
Sudden din
of silence, ringing
In solid aftermath
of definite blow,
Emotion in
motions, swiftly executed
Perfection
sought
Attained,
Without let,
till creativity emerges-
V
My shout swells
Rising like
a tropical thunderstorm
Breaking with
a mighty crack
Vibrant silence
of dry deserted grassland
Grasslands
set alight
To be swallowed
by sullen silence of temperate glades
Silence of
forgotten paths...-
VI
Black, is
night’s color
Crimson darkness,
Iron, black
iron, twisted cords, rippling muscles
Cold flesh,
black flesh, alive
A resilience
of assured calmness,
Cold coal
black waiting to blaze,
Black is night’s
color, darkest of nights-
Reverent shade
of darkness,
Cover and
cowl
Draping all
colors-
In darkness
I walk fearlessly
I am feared,
detested, acknowledged
I am
Yet I love
darkest blackness, myself
Sonorous silkiness
of night drapes me
Draping me
in perfect harmony
I am incontestably
ruler
Of feared and forgotten paths-
