Fowl Play

By Dipo Kehinde

Every picture tells a story, as the saying goes.

Indeed, this painting does.

Done in 1996, the oil painting is titled Fowl Play.

Done in about two hours, it’s my fastest work till today.

A race against time.

Documentation of what I saw as a crime.

A commentary on love and human nature.

The story of a very special creature.

A beloved Rooster with exceptional IQ.

A friend that my family wanted to barbeque.

Our friendship started growing thick.

Way back to when he was a chick.

Then he used to feed on my hand.

That daily act created a bond.

We would communicate in his language

Part of what I learnt at a young age.

He would see me off on my way out.

And the first welcome always from his mouth

CHARUUU! I would squeak if there’s a hawk in sight

Cuckoo, Cuckoo, I would call out, when there’s food to eat

I learnt all these from the mother hen.

And the chicken grew to be my good friend.

But my family saw the cock as good food.

I felt that was so crude.

On this day captured on Canvas

No, it wasn’t Christmas.

I investigated the arrest.

And I put up a protest.

What’s happening to my Mister?

Turned out the family had an August visitor.

Oh, no; this is a foul play

You can’t treat my friend this way.

This is unfair.

This is a nightmare.

He committed no offence.

Yet they passed a death sentence.

Mine was a voice in the wilderness.

I tried everything without success.

They all spoke with one voice.

That it was the right choice.

I looked at the face so handsome.

I offered to pay a ransom.

But everybody chorused crucify him!

So, I begged for time to immortalize him.

Today, I preserved this memory.

Like that event on the Cross of Calvary.

The world can be brutal

But Love is immortal.