Mum’s The Word

As I looked up at the assailant
Tears freely flowing like water
With each thrust, he took a bit of my soul.
Something broke, shattered in me
Then he said, “Mum’s the word”

Looked at them, the ones who loved me,
I want to tell them everything I felt
But imagining the disappointment and shame I would bring,
I told myself, “Mum’s the word”

I looked down, this time I’m on top
My eyes dim, my soul dark
I did to another what was done to me
And I said, “Mum’s the word”

I looked down at the weapon
That would keep me forever mum
I sighed and wished
Wished I hadn’t kept mum…

Emenike Chinwendu Victoria
© 2020

A New Dawn

It’s a new dawn so let’s catch fun
Let’s join the birds to sing and the cocks to crow
Let’s make melody in our hearts
Let the echoes of the drum linger

Push wide the gates of the city let our friends come in
Let’s have party after party until everyone falls in
Let the bright colours of the Disco hall tickle our fancy
My dear, drink to stupor

Lie on the floor and kiss the maidens
Now the day is far spent
The guests are long gone and the music fades away
The master is back home

What have you done with your talent
The long dreaded moment
Is inevitable and will surely come
Spend your time on things of value

Lady Nancy
© 2020

Rainfall: Behind The Scenes

Once, as a child, I peered through my window
I saw the Skies smile
And the Earth come alive
The Sky flashed her eyelids and lightening tore across the ends of the world
She breathed in, and the waves of the sea rose high into the air
She breathed out, and the wind blew across the lands
All across the North and down to the South
The wind blew like an harmattan.

She shone her eyes down the Earth
Fastening her gaze upon the hills
Then flashed her eyelids again and there were more lightening
Slicing through the darkness
And
Cutting through the trees
She sighed and the thunders gathered from within her
Sneezed and the thunders exploded out
Shaking the walls and causing my window frames to quiver
And my frail heart to
pound.

Then there was calm.

She whistled
And from her lips blew the wind
The calm wind with the still sounds
It was the making of rain

I took a peek behind the scenes
And I saw
That the Skies had unzipped
She was urinating upon the earth
It was calm, cool and soothing
The rain pouring down on us.

Steven Kator Iorfa
© 2020

What Would’ve Been

Life would’ve been a romance if Adam was home
And Eve didn’t try to be woke.
We would’ve walked the length and breath of the earth
Without being broke.
We would’ve plucked flowers and laid on grassy sheets
Gazing up at the most beautiful sky.
Life would’ve been a romance if she didn’t want what she already had.
If he was there to remind her what they already are.


He would’ve taken a walk with her deep into the woods;
Stopping at the zoo and playing a game of ‘catch me if you can’ in the cool.
She would’ve taken a drink of water from the purest of rivers
And watched the sun set from its bank.
She might’ve been reminded of what they already had.
And we would’ve stayed the same, feeling nothing of shame


Life would’ve been a garden, green with life and red with love.
Children would’ve stayed innocent and grownups competent.
The wild would’ve not preyed on the tamed.
Evil would’ve not been retained.
Life would’ve been a romance
A walk in the park
A camp around the fire
A picnic at the beach
And a kiss under the stars
Life was meant to be a romance.

Ijeoma Obi
© 2020

Chaos

For some people, there is no line
The two sides get intertwined
And the future becomes scary

For some,
The life they wish to enjoy
Is one that crosses their minds alongside ‘what ifs’

For many of us,
The moment we dream to live
Hides behind us crying

Ademola Adeshino
©2020

RENEW 2

Listen
Your heart beats a melody
Listen
The world rejoices in novelty
Listen
You are here by another’s will
Listen
The Word is how you navigate this
Listen

You must be thirsty.
What drink would you love?
Water of life is always a great choice!
We live in the feelings of these little choices.
Live by choice.

Leave by choice
Regrets and bitterness in past 31
Lift by choice
Your spirits heights above where Jews lie
Leafy choices
Can be lost in this wind so hold tight
Newness is your guest today
Make the best of it

Dance!
When you can and can’t
You deserve presence,
Gift yourself the present of you
Now is a good time to live.
So dance, teach time to
Breathe, see, listen and feel
Make it wait on you.

St. Davnique
Godswill Ezeonyeka
©2020

RENEW


Let your hair down
Breathe
You’ve come this far
See
This is not destination
Listen
But home is where you are
Feel
The moon takes us through another 31
Live

Begin by breath.
One. Two.
Exhale the stress, excess, excuses.
Inhale the miracle of your heart beating hard.

The journey of a thousand miles
One step
The expectation of many lives
One thought
This is reset if you don’t clone it
Welcome to another opportunity
Crown it

Continue by Sight.
Lashes up and it’s a new day!
We are always at the start of things
And it’s okay.

And now that I have you here,
Can you hear?
Can we sit and lock hearts?
Rest a while on my chest
I will do same.
We are simply different patterns from a cloth.
Our roads have led us here.
Let’s celebrate this beautiful silence.

St. Davnique
Godswill Ezeonyeka
©2020

Who Is Jesus 2

JESUS is our hope.
In this gross darkness in which we grope,
He’s our solution, not just a way to cope!
So even in the midst of recession, confusion, depression, oppression,
He stands as our resurrection,
Life in all its perfection!
JESUS is our prince
JESUS is our peace…
All at the same time.

JESUS is timeless.
He has been, He will be
His reign is endless
He has conquered hell and the grave
All power belongs to HIM and He alone can save
He was there from the beginning,
He’ll be there till the end
He’s not just our saviour,
He’s our friend!
JESUS is the Alpha
JESUS is the Omega…
All at the same time

Damaris
© 2020