As the melodious drum beats
I gracefully dance to the skipping rhythm
The wind served as a contribution
To the flow of my sacred wear
My loved ones, I hear them clap and sing
I see joy and happiness in their eyes
I see my chosen treasure smiling as the sun
I smile back with aching gladness
I see not anymore a face but a sea
Tinbu, my beloved iroko tree
Her beauty, they say is a twin of mine
But by the moment it’s fading
The sunset quicken for my ceremony
He beside me, my body beside him
My soul beside the sea
Receiving our blessing of the moon and sun
Today I cannot flee this moment
Run out of my painful shadow
I must swallow the seeds of the black mountain
And go to my chosen home
