PLUNGING BROKENNESS INTO SHARDS OF ANTONYMS

​After Joshua Effiong's "Synonyms for Rebirth"
​Ayoade Olamide
There's an irony dislodging
                                 [placing]        my
                                                      [your]    bones
                                                                     [flesh]
from
[into] contrition. & I perceive this fragrance
                                                                 [stench]
of    forsaking
     [reclaiming] my shadow's antique     with
                                                                     [without]
traces of my body
                    [soul]    arriving
                               [departing]
into an evening primrose. Yestermorn,
I plunged     into
                 [out of] an aubade of hibiscus,
wandered      with
                 [without] its pollen,   gathered
                                                       [scattered] myself
in a windstorm. Everyday        
                              [anyday]  I    touch    
                                                   [untouch] the moon
with my tongue, I     recollect   the taste of     light
                                        [bury]                            [darkness],
I teach myself how not to be broken, how not to
dethaw the sun in my skin &    become    
                                                      [unbecome]
a  d i s p e r s i o n
       [gathering]       of ashes. Everything
                                                     [Nothing]  touches
this poem without   dying
                                    [living], without breaking out
of a miracle-shell. Someone, somewhere, is  holding
                                                                                 [leaving]
the thread of prayers, misplacing  himself
                                                               [herself] in dilemma
but there're no two ways to heaven
                                                      [hell]   except trailing your faith
with a walking stick as you  suffix   your grief with amen.
                                                   [prefix]          [joy]
BIO:
Ayoade Olamide (he/him), NGP I, is a budding poet from the north of Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria. He is a Mass Communication Undergrad in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria, author of "Poets Don't Sleep", a chapbook where he declares his undying love for poetry & portrays himself as a nyctophile. He's an ardent lover of music (loves raving & drilling), a song writer & a preacher of poetry. He's also the first runner up of BKPW (2021 October Edition). His works have appeared/forthcoming in Hyacinth Review, PoetryColumn-NND, ArtsLounge, Woven Poetry, Academy of the Heart and Mind, Ariel Chart, WattNigeria, Bansi/Demigods anthology, & elsewhere. He tweets @HeisLamide and can be found on Instagram @heislamide