THE BEST WOMAN
THE BEST WOMAN
By E. L. TEDDY
I have often heard men say-
"Tell no woman,
Not even your wife the key to your treasure house.
Else, she will cook the best soup and you will sleep at the dining table."
But why?
And they said, she will return to the bush when she finally grows.
"A woman is like a cat,
No matter how she's fed, her eyes are still fixed to the pasture."
I looked at dad-
"Mum's not like that. I'm heading thirty, and she's still the same mum.
Granny died in your father's house, in the same union.
If your father grew old in this shell,
What wealth his great yield took?
In his dead soul is buried the key to wealth, to a treasure house.
And here you are, struggling for help."
I'm ready to do no such thing.
So, I aim for the best woman.
Do I know the best? "Yes."
The Giver can work on it,
And the best cannot look at the bush but the throne.
And so, hiding my wealth is the same as losing my wealth.
Because the day I die is the day the money dies.
It is the day my signature dies.
That same day, my fingerprint dies.
It is the day my four secret PINs die.
The same day, my documents die.
But you can give life to them all, even after you.
"A woman is like a cat,
No matter how she's fed, her eyes are still fixed to the pasture."
ATMOSPHERE FOR PERFORMANCE
The atmosphere of The Best Woman is reflective, argumentative, philosophical, and hopeful. The poem creates an environment where long-standing cultural beliefs are questioned through personal experience, inviting readers to rethink inherited assumptions about trust, marriage, and legacy.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
I wrote The Best Woman because I have heard the same advice repeated countless times in our society: "Never tell a woman where your wealth is hidden." It is an opinion deeply rooted in many African communities, built upon fear, suspicion, and unfortunate experiences.
While I understand why some people hold such beliefs, I refuse to accept that the actions of a few should define an entire gender.
As I reflected on my own family, I looked at my mother and my grandmother. Their loyalty, patience, and commitment became evidence that faithfulness still exists. They stood by their homes until old age without betraying the trust placed in them. Their lives challenged the narrative that every woman will eventually turn against her husband.
Then another thought came to me. What happens to hidden wealth when its owner dies? Signatures become useless. Fingerprints lose their authority. Secret passwords perish with the owner. Documents become inaccessible. In trying to protect wealth from a faithful partner, one may unknowingly destroy the very legacy one hoped to preserve.
This poem is my appeal against dangerous generalization. It reminds us that while wisdom is necessary in life, trust should be built on character rather than prejudice. The best woman still exists, and when she is found, she deserves confidence, respect, and partnership.
CONTENT ANALYSIS
The Best Woman is a philosophical and argumentative poem that challenges one of the most common traditional beliefs found in many African societies: that women should never be fully trusted with family wealth.
Rather than dismissing the belief outright, the poet acknowledges its existence before presenting a thoughtful contradiction based on personal experience and reason.
The opening stanza introduces a popular proverb:
"Tell no woman... the key to your treasure house." This represents a deeply entrenched cultural ideology. The treasure house symbolizes not only financial wealth but also confidential information, family inheritance, and the secrets upon which a household is built.
The humorous expression:
"She will cook the best soup and you will sleep at the dining table," uses irony to suggest betrayal. The implication is that once a woman gains access to wealth, she may eliminate her husband to possess everything.
The comparison:
"A woman is like a cat," draws upon African proverbial tradition. The cat symbolizes restlessness and divided loyalty, suggesting that no amount of care can change its instincts.
However, the poem immediately introduces a counterargument. The poetic persona looks at his father and points to his own mother and grandmother as living examples of unwavering faithfulness. Instead of arguing through abstract philosophy, the poet relies upon lived experience.
His grandmother remained faithful until death, his mother has remained loyal throughout her marriage. These examples become evidence that not every woman fits the stereotype imposed by society.
The rhetorical question:
"What wealth did he lose because of her?" forces readers to examine whether fear is always justified.
The poem then shifts from discussing marriage to discussing legacy. This transition is one of the poem's greatest strengths.
The poet declares:
"Hiding my wealth is the same as losing my wealth." This statement challenges excessive secrecy. If wealth remains hidden from trusted family members, it risks becoming inaccessible after death.
The final stanza develops this philosophy beautifully.
The poet observes that the day he dies:
...his money dies,
...his signature dies,
...his fingerprint dies,
...his secret PINs die,
and his documents lose their practical value.
These images symbolize the temporary nature of human authority.
Yet the final line introduces hope:
"But you can give life to them all, even after you." The faithful partner becomes the bridge between death and continuity. Trust therefore becomes an investment in legacy rather than a weakness.
The poem concludes by redefining true wealth.
"The greatest treasure is not hidden money but finding a trustworthy companion capable of preserving one's dreams after death."
FORM AND STRUCTURE
The Best Woman is a free verse poem divided into four major movements.
The conversational style and use of dialogue create intimacy, while the gradual progression from cultural belief to personal conviction strengthens its persuasive effect.
SETTING
The poem has no fixed physical setting.
Its primary setting is psychological and cultural, existing within the family, the home, and the traditions of African society where questions of marriage, trust, inheritance, and gender are frequently debated.
THEMES
Trust in Marriage
The poem explores trust as an essential pillar of successful marital relationships.
The Danger of Generalization
It argues against judging all women based on the actions of a few individuals.
Faithfulness
The poet celebrates women whose loyalty and commitment remain steadfast throughout life.
Legacy
The poem teaches that wealth should outlive its owner through responsible succession and trusted stewardship.
Family Values
The examples of the poet's mother and grandmother emphasize the importance of preserving positive family traditions.
Wisdom and Partnership
The work advocates wise discernment rather than suspicion in choosing and relating with one's life partner.
LANGUAGE AND STYLE
Diction
The diction is simple, conversational, and rooted in African oral tradition, making the poem relatable and engaging.
Tone
The tone is reflective, persuasive, philosophical, and optimistic.
Mood
The mood encourages readers to question inherited beliefs while embracing hope and reason.
FIGURES OF SPEECH/LITERARY DEVICES
Proverb
The opening statements reflect African proverbial wisdom concerning marriage and trust.
Symbolism
The "treasure house" symbolizes wealth, inheritance, secrets, and family legacy.
The "throne" symbolizes honour, stability, and noble character.
The "bush" symbolizes instability and betrayal.
Metaphor
The comparison of a woman to a cat serves as a metaphor for perceived unfaithfulness, which the poem later challenges.
Dialogue
The conversation between the poetic persona and his father adds realism and emotional depth.
Rhetorical Question
"What wealth did he lose because of her?" invites readers to reconsider accepted assumptions.
Irony
The poem ironically demonstrates that excessive secrecy intended to preserve wealth may ultimately destroy it.
Repetition
The repeated phrase "the day... dies" emphasizes the temporary nature of human control over material possessions.
CONCLUSION
The Best Woman is more than a poem about women; it is a courageous challenge to long-standing stereotypes and inherited prejudices. Through personal experience and thoughtful reflection, the poet demonstrates that character should always outweigh general opinion. While caution may be necessary in human relationships, trust should never be denied to those who have proven themselves faithful.
The poem equally presents a profound lesson on legacy. Wealth hidden out of fear may perish with its owner, but wealth entrusted to the right hands can continue to serve generations yet unborn. Ultimately, the poem reminds us that the greatest treasure is not money itself but the presence of a trustworthy companion who values loyalty above possession.
Rather than judging all women through the failures of a few, the poet encourages readers to seek, appreciate, and honour the "best woman" whose integrity transforms marriage into partnership and whose faithfulness gives life to dreams even after death.
READER'S REFLECTION
- Have past experiences caused society to judge an entire gender unfairly?
- Is wisdom found in suspicion, or in the ability to recognize genuine character?
The Best Woman invites every reader to look beyond stereotypes and appreciate the power of trust, loyalty, and partnership. It reminds us that while caution has its place, true legacy is built upon relationships rooted in faithfulness and mutual confidence.
"The greatest treasure is not hidden money but finding a trustworthy companion capable of preserving one's dreams after death."
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