I Ask Again…
(listen to the poem, read by the author)
What is to stop me from throwing a lasso around
time, to drag it back to when I was an infant
in search of nets, that I can cast and bind – to bring
back to life, that is so say, balance. To bring back good things like tides.
see, amidst these dooms fighting for height, I keep
dreaming. I keep dreaming of childhood as a panacea. I dream of
childhood as an adage handed to me to make a miracle.
Can a man die with lies building castles on his tongue?
I think my father has done so when he claimed adulthood
would be the best thing that happened to me.
I refuse to continue this poem with cry.
At times, I see the younger one rejoicing at growing older
happy to leave what is behind for what is ahead.
I am heartbroken that they do not know what is before,
with this, I ask of you again, would you grant this one request
of me weeping all the tears they would ever tear
or is it not enough not to tell them of what is to come
and make them empty barrels like me who can only wish
adulthood was never a curse.
Back to Top of Page | Back to Poetry | Back to Volume 15, Issue 4 – Winter 2021
About the Author
Testimony Akinkunmi is a law student based at the University of Abuja, Nigeria. He takes much interest in the balancing of identity–through whatever means he can. He has been featured in theshallowtalesreview, akore, qwenu, and Hub. He can be reached at testimony.akinkunmi@gmail.com.