DEHIN

Dehin o, Dende dehin!

Dehin o Dende, dehin

Tin ba de bode ma mapa falapa

Dehin o Dende, dehin

Tin ba de bode ma mese felese

Dehin o Dende, dehin

A social masquerade I am!

A special without season

Festivity all year round

Insensitive to askance faces

Dehin o Dende, dehin!

The black, white and blonde sponges

Fencing my temple and the eyes

Drawing you like magnet

Are gifts from sleeping souls

Of man pony or fibre

Dehin o Dende, dehin!

The fat around my face

Caused by layers of dust and mascara

Often beclouds my countenance

Till such a paint is caked off

Dehin o Dende dehin!

The aromatic stick that thickens my lips

The bluish blush that pales my face

The bogus tyre rims that burden my ears

The heavy lashes that roost upon my eyelids

I soon must set in sunder

Dehin o, Dende dehin !

These mobile claws of many colours

Agreeably seated on my forks

Have oppressed my nails too long

And shan’t be there much longer

Dehin o, Dende dehin!

Should you ignore the imposing chains

Around my neck, wrist and ankles

Blind not your eyes to my rainbow skin

The self-imposed act of utmost wickedness

I should willingly replay on others

Having inflicted same on self

Dehin o, Dende dehin!

When am done with these ceremonial costumes

That you so much adore

And through with the DE-ODOUR-ANT

On this walking corpse of mine

Twill be clear why I chant

Dehin o, Dende dehin!

* Dehin, in Yoruba language means "Desist" or "Go back" depending on the context.

* Dende is a name given to a male child

Translation of the first stanza:

Desist, Dende Desist

Desist, Dende Desist

When i get to the border

I will give hand to the owner

Desist, Dende Desist

When i get to the border

I will give legs to the owner

Desist, Dende Desist