Imole Olusanya

It is dawn and the little monkey is thirsty he drinks on with no ear for the evils da da dum he drinks and raises his head in glee Tum tum the hospitable brooks gurgle the leopard prances in the thicket from a distance father monkey calls little monkey stiffens and swings away the leopard retreats. The sheep scamper with the puppies they lay across the road with goats the sheep amble with the calves while frisking with the kids the ewe calls gambol with the puppies but never eat the same move with the goats but never act the same saunter with the calves but stray not to the bullring this the orphaned lamb knows not. The moorhen flies to the runnel the pipit adores serenity the thrush and the blackbird perches the fowler spreads his net the poacher triggers his riffle mother thrush tweets and squawks the fowler fouls up and the poacher poaches void only the deaf bird is entangled.

I was in heaven. I was in the care of my creator. He showered me with all his love and attention but over time, I had to start my journey to the world. I had to choose a family. My creator showed me a lot of families to pick from. They all wanted a child. The first couple were not married and were practising extramarital affairs. I refused to be their child. I refused to be regarded by the world as a bastard. The second couple had a lovely home. They already had two children. I loved the family because I thought they would shower me with love and I would not be lonely. I would have siblings to play with but then I saw how they scolded one of their children and praised the other. It happened that they preferred one. I refused to join such a family. I feared being treated as they were treating their other child. The third couple was newly wedded and their marriage was the talk of the town. They were rich and deeply in love but they seemed not to be hasty about having a child because they...