there’s a lingering tightness in my chest –
like a bimini twist on a fishing line
my heart is trying to catch its rhythm
it struggles to free itself from the clutches your lies
have entrapped it in
from the way your flawless image was plastered
on the billboards of beguilement
I could tell that one day
you would skin my emotions and wring them
of truth and trust
yet I embraced you scrunching my nostrils inwardly
even though you reeked of all ugly things
and hoping I could wipe away your grime
with the peaceful fabrics of my heart
I was helpless and hopeless –
empty like the clay pots in the yard –
my insides were parched like the desert sand
you could have quenched the diffidence gnawing at my soul
but you chose to be a mirage –
popping the bubbles of my optimism and breathing
your life of misery into me
you found pretty shiny vases to grow your flowers in
now you’d let a wanderer stomp over your garden
leaving it in fragments of nothingness
I am mould – I am a force that will
bind the shredded pieces of her hurtling being
the cracks in the borders of my pith will be
a testament that my heart reached the shore of hope
just watch how my heart will mosaic a platter of fortune
that will become a showstopper in the gallery
of my rueful existence
Maryam Kekere-Ekun is a poet and writer who explores the complexities of life, heartbreak, grief, and the intricate threads that bind them. Longlisted for the Wakaso Poetry Prize, Maryam is passionate about capturing the emotional nuances of the human experience through verse. In addition to writing poetry, Maryam enjoys delving into historical fiction and mystery novels, using these genres as a creative escape and a source of inspiration.
Cover photo credit: Giovana Montes Furlan