THE PALM OF THE HAND

I thank the Creator

For the gift of the palm of my hands;

The palm that I turned to for help

Before I turn to any other person for help.

Some say a message fills the palm,

That the Creator wrote the message;

I couldn’t make anything of the message;

The Creator wrote what pleased Him or Her.

I believe in my palm;

I trust it with all my heart;

I plead with my ‘Ori’ and my palm:

That they both work to ensure my success.

Translation by: Adebisi Aromolaran

(Translated from the Yoruba Language from ‘ATONA YORUBA FUN AWON OMO ILE-EKO’ from a poem titled ‘ATELEWO’, and published by Macmillan Nigeria, 1970.