my Godfather,
the day I was baptized

(and that was many years ago)

I heard the priest say
do you love God
with all your heart and your soul
I said sure, I do

do you hate Satan
and all his evil machinations
I said yes, I do

then he asked me
do you hate those customs
and traditions and beliefs
of your kith and kins

my Godfather,
do you remember I hesitated in answering the priest
and he repeated the question again

I’m still wondering with my heart tinkling down
about the customs and traditions
of my kith and kins

did you remember to tell the priest
those things give us
corals and sapphires
cases of jewels of diamonds of our heritage

did you remember to tell him
they dine porringer and morals
into our beings into our souls

I wonder if you knew and told the priest

did you forget to tell him too
that our grandfather ascended into heaven
riding on the back of a crocodile
like Elijah with the chariot of flames

Padmore Enyonam Agbemabiese

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/for-my-godfather/