Bittersweet

Photo: Cristian Newman

Death is a mirror reflecting a thousand hungry roads

A land whose belly has no end

We were told of men whose flesh became dust

Reminding us of life and its vanities

We were told that life is a big void which is never empty

The sage could not explain

He said it is a feeling that can’t be explained

A realm where men can balance life on a fingertip

And you need not be told that life is weightless

Here, we swim in a river whose origin is us

Our tears have become a sea sweeping us deeper into derision

Because our warriors died even before the battle began

They were killed by men who shouldn’t have tasted life

We cut open our skin and feed on our hunger

The sage said it is the bittersweet taste of life

But we have never tasted the sweet

Do you know why death is never filled?

Because earth has become more fertile than yesterday

Giving birth to men who never wanted to live

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Damilola Omotoyinbo believes in the power of the pen and the positive difference it can make in our world. She has published works in Kalahari, Pelleura, Praxis, Parousia e-magazine, The Nigerian Tribune Newspaper, and elsewhere. Damilola is a 2019 Fellow of the Ebedi International Writers Residency, a YALI Alumna and a fan of Àsá. She studied Biochemistry and blogs at damilolaomotoyinbo.wordpress.com. She may be reached on Facebook @Damilola Omotoyinbo.