ABIKU BY J. P. Clark by John Pepper Clark — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

ABIKU BY J. P. Clark Coming and going these several seasons, Do stay out on the baobab tree, Follow where you please your kindred spirits If indoors is not enough for you. True, it leaks through the thatch When floods brim the banks, And the bats and the owls Often tear in at night through the eaves, And at harmattan, the bamboo walls Are ready tinder for the fire That dries the fresh fish up on the rack. Still, it’s been the healthy stock To several fingers, to many more will be Who reach to the sun. No longer then bestride the threshold But step in and stay For good. We know the knife scars Serrating down your back and front Like beak of the sword-fish, And both your ears, notched As a bondsman to this house, Are all relics of your first comings. Then step in, step in and stay For her body is tired, Tired, her milk going sour Where many more mouths gladden the heart.

Translation (English)

Coming and going these many seasons, Stay out on the big tree, Follow your spirit friends wherever you want If staying inside isn't enough for you. Yes, the roof leaks When the floods overflow, And bats and owls Often come in at night through the roof edges, And during the dry season, the bamboo walls Are ready to catch fire That dries the fresh fish on the rack. Still, it's been a healthy place For many people, and will be for more Who reach for the sun. Don't stand at the door anymore But come in and stay For good. We know the scars Running down your back and front Like a swordfish's beak, And your ears, marked As a servant to this house, Are all signs of your first visits. So come in, come in and stay For her body is tired, Tired, her milk going bad Where many more mouths bring joy.

About the Poet

John Pepper Clark (20th Century)

John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo (6 April 1935 – 13 October 2020) was a Nigerian poet and playwright. He was a prominent figure in African literature, known for his works that explore themes of identity, culture, and the human condition.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Free verse
When Written: Published in the mid-20th century
Background: The poem 'Abiku' draws on the Yoruba belief in spirit children who die and are reborn repeatedly. It reflects on themes of life, death, and the struggle for permanence, capturing the cultural and existential challenges faced in African societies.

Sources: https://afrilingual.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/abiku-john-pepper-clark/, https://www.oloyede.com.ng/2024/03/detailed-analysis-of-abiku-by-j-p-clark.html, https://themirroronline.com.ng/african-poems-abiku-by-p-j-clark/, https://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JLLL/article/view/36631, https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/john-pepper-clark-abiku/

Detailed Explanation

The poem 'Abiku' by J. P. Clark addresses the concept of an 'Abiku,' a spirit child in Yoruba belief who dies and is reborn repeatedly. The speaker implores the Abiku to stay and embrace life rather than constantly returning to the spirit realm. The poem uses vivid imagery to describe the harsh living conditions, such as leaking roofs and vulnerable bamboo walls, yet emphasizes the resilience and continuity of life. The speaker acknowledges the marks and scars on the Abiku, symbolizing past struggles and the hope for permanence. The poem reflects on the exhaustion of the mother, whose body is tired from nurturing a child who may not stay. Through this, Clark captures the cyclical nature of life and death, the longing for stability, and the cultural significance of the Abiku phenomenon in African societies. The poem is rich with symbolism and cultural references, highlighting the tension between the spiritual and physical worlds.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
Abiku	spirit child	a child believed to die and be reborn repeatedly	Ah-bee-koo
baobab	a large tree	a type of large tree found in Africa	Bay-oh-bab
harmattan	dry season	a dry and dusty season in West Africa	Har-ma-tan
thatch	straw roof	roof made of straw or similar materials	Thatch
tinder	easily flammable	something that catches fire easily	Tin-der
serrating	cutting with a saw-like edge	having a jagged edge	Ser-ray-ting
bondsman	servant	a person bound to service without wages	Bonds-man
kindred	related	having a similar nature or character	Kin-dred
notched	marked with cuts	having small cuts or indentations	Notched
threshold	entrance	the point of entering or beginning	Thresh-hold
sour	gone bad	having an unpleasant taste or smell	Sour