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REKINDLED FLAME (a villanelle)
The desire burnt out at the stake, To die alone when the night bell rung, Rises from the ashes for love's sake. Missed his foot at the brink of the lake, Fell in flat to come out wet and wrong, The desire burnt out at the stake. Chapter was closed, made into a rake, A new episode for a numb tongue Rises from the ashes for love's sake. How he made his sharp but soft words break Her heart to learn singing all night long The desire burnt out at the stake. Trusting in death was bitter to take, And so does remnants of a dead song Rises from the ashes for love's sake. And without a breath, they both awake To lead the lyrics and hum along, The desire burnt out at the stake Rises from the ashes for love's sake.
SCHISM
on this figure is a blatant disfigure that all eyes could see, yet all eyes could not agree. He hung on the cross and bore the loss of the Catholics, and is the Light of the World to the apostolic. He transformed into mountains of fire and flew with wings into seven heavens where the cherubs and seraphs gladly worship Him. He is the peace that sat a house on the rock, and brought the songs of the celestial to the lips of ordinary men. He is the adventist coming to redeem us on the seventh day, as He had called us to be ambassadors at His embassy, and worshippers at His synagogues. and in all faces, He is a saviour whose behavior is now seeking to find truce with His bruise. for this figure suffers a blatant disfigure, as He is given up to ghosts, by His very own disciples.
Gift Emmanuel Olaleye is a computer engineer and writer. Known by the moniker #El_Magnifico™, his thoughtful poems cut across boundaries and are published or forthcoming in Cultural Reverence, Split rock Review, Raven Cage Zine, Split Lip, Spillwords, Words Rhymes & Rhythm, and elsewhere. Olaleye’s literary accolades include the 2015 ‘Noble Pen Award’ by Doveslines Publication House and the ‘Poet of the Year 2021’ by Eternal Flames. He was also long-listed for the 2020 ‘African Writers Award 2020’. Olaleye can be reached on Twitter and Instagram via @olaleye_gift & @olaleye_gift_emmanuel respectively.
