PLUNGING BROKENNESS INTO SHARDS OF ANTONYMS
After Joshua Effiong's "Synonyms for Rebirth"
Ayoade Olamide
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]
[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 |