he says he has said IT

and this matter must be settled in the middle.

kɔkɔdene!

He cut short the dawn of the animals
dwelling in the villages and in the cities;
disturbing the ears of every dog, goat and pig.

“You animals! come and listen… finally…
I’ve got the grand vision… the one grand vision that
would transform you from goats and pigs into human beings.
make me king uhuh! make me king and you’d have it all for free…free…free…”

and now this matter must be settled before midnight passes.
and so said Akpoplonto!

and he summoned the animals
to his village square and there
they built a stage for kɔkɔdene.
they even added an extra raiser to make sure
his height was not in question as
the man of vision he claimed to be.

and this matter must be settled before the next dawn.
and so demanded Akpokplonto!
“now let him show us how his vision works.”

and so kɔkɔdene! ever the showman,
he mounted the stage; adjusted his collar, touched his cuffs, re-aligned his throat,
wiped his mouth, filled his lungs with air so he was inflated like a balloon,
raised his hand towards the animals and then he began to give his speech.

and so it happened
his voice thundered across the length and breadth of the village square;
breaking the boundaries…
like kroo…like kroo… like boom…like gbim… like gbim…like kroo…like kroo
and he spoke and he croaked and he spoke…and he croaked…and he…

“and so what have we now?” Akpokplonto stood up.
"what have you said?"
“IT. I say to you: I have said IT”.

and so says kɔkɔdene: IT.
he says he has said IT.