Saturday, May 22, 2010

Next time...

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Even if your mother's food is not sweet, when you go out, you must say that her food is the best. - Nigerian Proverb.
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ENJOY !
Some of  these thieves do not have souls
The ones who would steal and kill and destroy
And then leave their prints on the sand
My innocence was not pure white, like snow
Or pitch black like the moonless sky
But it was there; off-white.
And of course, they always go for the best
No one steals rotten mangoes
Or over-boiled Zobo leaves
And after I fought with the anger in me
And screamed, and pleaded
I thought the soul in you would wake
No?
No. So those your claws left a scar
I wish you had just gone with my off-white purity
I'm used to sorrow, I would have overcome it
But no, you had to leave the scar.
Who even taught you wickedness?
I swear, your teacher did not teach you well
Next time, do not scratch beyond my skin
You evil thief. No
When they ask, I'll tell my children I had a bad fall
If they are not wise enough to see the truth,
If my eyes do not drown as I lie to them
Like it does, each time I look at the scar.

DISCLAIMER: I actually acquired the scar on my right brow from a vehicle accident but I have written from the perspective of an abused woman... 

9 comments:

  1. Putting the image of the scar and tying it to abuse is powerful, I can feel the strength of the narrator underlying the pain. Well written.


    ps, when did you have the accident? I'm surprised it hasn't grown back.

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  2. Thank you,Myne.

    I had it when I was about seven. It was a very deep cut and I had lots of stitches. It's never growing back but I like it a lot.

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  3. Deep. The disclaimer actually helped me understand the poem better. It had some really deep concepts.

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  4. wow.. deep inside i'm thankful for you..
    i know both experiences are not pleasant..bur i kinda just feel like this is better than that..

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  5. If I didnt see the disclaimer, I'd have cursed the thief(ves). I love the way you write. Sorry about the accident. I'm particularly glad however that you've grown past it. You even like it? hmmm...

    -- LDP

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  6. If you hadn't mentioned the scar, I wouldn't have noticed it at all. I had to go look again.

    The piece racks of pain and also silent strength. Well penned.

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  7. This is in a class of its own.. totally brilliant!

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  8. that was deep..very deep..even with the disclaimer i couldn't get past the thief esp cos robbers just shot and killed a co-worker's husband at a service station in full glare of the wife..

    'what will she tell the kids happened to their father?'

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  9. Thank you my beautiful people.

    @histreasure, this is terrible news. How is she ever going to get past the trauma?

    Sad :(

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Your comments are my maggi!