When body rises to greet half-dead,
It’s house of will and intellect.
REBIRTH (a poem by Jide Badmus)
I break, heart of egg
into yolk of gratitude
—grain of time,
IN THE WINGS OF SPARROWS, A NEST FALLS & CALL ME HOLY (two poems by Osahon Oka)
Call me miracle. I cough blood into the fist of wind
& it is rain. Yes, call me saint; I have arrived before
purgatory time & time again & its doorknob has
AXOLOTL (a poem by Abasiama Udom)
I find strength to be whole—whole again.
Let me pull away from all I know. Leaving, losing my realities.
AFTER GRIEFS & RUINS (a poem by Qudus Olowo)
the earth/grew/ into solidarity
after grief gawped requiems into the soil /myringas/
sacred buffs— no longer hid in silence
WHAT IS NIGERIA TO ME (a poem by Chime Justice Ndubuisi)
She is the woman whose children left
and she heard they’ve been caught for theft.
She covers her face in cloth of shame,
Walks the streets looking for who to blame.
BLACK COUNTRY GIRL (a poem by Peace Ufedojo Haruna)
I call my dreams “little black birds”
For they spread their wings and fly into the night,
BLACK OR WHITE (a poem by Daniel Singfuri Yohanna)
I think of the colour On God's skin, But the Bible I know Never said anything about that. Does that make humans With dark skin Slaves to be thrown...
THE BOY WHO KISSED GOD GOODBYE (a poem by Litah Ibor)
This boy kissed God goodbye and became the God himself
WHO ARE HAPPY PEOPLE? (a poem by Enobong Ernest Enobong)
“i hope i find happiness outside this world… away from this place.”