I Give You Softness
I am sending you stars through this morning mist,
sending roses dampened by evening dews;
I am sending you patience, sending you peace,
sending you all the softness of this world.
I offer you this bouquet of forgiveness;
take all these treasures, all the pleasant things of life.
Be my light, when the world gets dim;
be my hope, when the world forgets me.
When the world is crushing,
be my haven, be my safe space,
be my only sanctuary of tenderness.
Be my sight, when life’s chaos strikes
me blind. Soak me in this bosom
of love & light, let me drip of your sweetness,
let your heart be my place of bliss.
Be my salt, be my cravings, be the garden
I run to, every time & even now.
Teach Me How I Become a Lover
Teach me
how to gently hold your body—your thin waist—like an hourglass.
Teach me
where to place my dry palms on your wet skin—for what is wet can be signs of blessings.
Teach me
how to swim & never drown—how to find precious stones under the belly of the sea.
Teach me
how to count the stars—how to predict a full moon—how to hold the rain with our love.
Teach me
how to time travel through your eyes—how to navigate the contours of this complex universe.
Teach me patience, & i will wait.
Teach me truth, & i will never sin.
Teach me hope, & i will be grateful.
Teach me peace, & i will bring you comfort.
Teach me faithfulnes, & all you will have is me.
Teach me the arithmetic of life, the art of being in love.
When a Poet Falls in Love
the fire in our love won’t burn you,
it won’t wrinkle your skin, for even
gold passes through fire before it
glitters… you have often said, what
can a poet give if not words? & i
will say, a man gives, first, what he
has, for what he does not have might
come later… give me a chance, & i
would give you, first, what i have, i would
prepare you a bowl of poetry, with assorted
words, accompanied with a cup of chilled poetry
juice, made from natural fruits. i will wrap the
universe with a foil paper, & give to you,
do whatever you want with it. the earth is
made of words, & as a poet, i offer you the
earth, through my own words.
Olobo Ejile, a Nigerian poet, writer, and researcher. He is a member of the Hilltop Creative Arts Foundation, Lagos Chapter; an alumnus of the 2025 Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop; an alumnus of Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship; and was longlisted for Wale Okediran Poetry Prize. His works are featured in ANA Review 2024, Fiction Niche, Shallow Tales Review, Indy Pres, Artisans Quill, EOPP Anthology 2025, Afrihill Press, Cọ́n-scìò Magazine, Table Feasting Magazine, and elsewhere. Connect with him on X @Olobo_Ejile and Olobo Ejie on Facebook.
Cover photo credit: Abdulmeilk Aldawsari