in

Tales of a Bonfire.

As the cinders rise from the crispy trunks

So does the dust from the stumps of tipsy drunks

Ecstatically wriggling and shaking their bodies

Until their sweating trickles down to outline the silhouettes of their jollies.

The dancers run around the flames of music with excitement

And the watchers smile and laugh at the entertainment

The dancers hype the mood and try to grow their numbers

But the watchers grin, refuse and brood like cucumbers

In denial, the dancers return to their ring of melody with a raging call to musical Nirvana.

The tales of a bonfire, while the dancers dance and the watchers watch, the trees and stars record

They listen to stories untold and emotions unfold

Memories of good and bad from days of old

The jokers joke and the clowns clown

In a bid for attention and need for succession

A very bad attempt at coordination.

A meal is served, an apetite is killed

A saltless sauce, an attack on human rights

Who would have known that life juice could be so poisonous and so death dealing

The chapatis tried though

The meat, not much so…

Friends and games

We play in escape from the trivial and mundane

And land in the realm of wonderous fame

Strangers pulled by the magnetic force of our game

Soon to become another tale we shall tell when the shape of their scent disappears from the boarders of our sting.

The tales of a bonfire, another beautiful addition to the memory pire.

Maniple Denzel Everd

Written by

Denzel Maniple Everd

Storyteller, amateur poet and photographer (IG: @denzel_everd || @some_things_denzel_sees), and film-maker.

Did this story move you? Every gift goes directly to Denzel Maniple Everd — writers on Muwado earn from reader appreciation, not algorithms. Even $1 makes a difference.

What do you think?

Muwado weekly chart

Get Africa’s top 10 stories every Thursday

No account needed — just your email.

You’re on the list. See you Thursday.

Want to follow Denzel Maniple Everd and get notified every time they publish?
Create a free Muwado account →

Leave a Reply

I turned 37 on Sunday, here’s 23 random things I wish I’d known back when I was 27

Mutebile, the passing of a legend