WOLE SOYINKA
"Civilian and Soldier"
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My apparition rose from the fall of lead,

Declared, 'I am a civilian.' It only served

To aggravate your fright. For how could I

Have risen, a being of this world, in that hour

Of impartial death! And I thought also: nor is

Your quarrel of this world.

You stood still

For both eternities, and oh I heard the lesson

Of your traing sessions, cautioning;

Scorch earth behind you, do not leave

A dubious neutral to the rear. Reiteration

Of my civilian quandary, burrowing earth

From the lead festival of your more eager friends

Worked the worse on your confusion, and when

You brought the gun to bear on me, and death

Twitched me gently in the eye, your plight

And all of you came clear to me.

I hope some day

Intent upon my trade of living, to be checked

In stride by your apparition in a trench,

Signalling, I am a soldier. No hesitation then

But I shall shoot you clean and fair

With meat and bread, a gourd of wine

A bunch of breasts from either arm, and that

Lone question; do you friend, even now, know

What it is all about?