He Can Die Any Time

He can die any time from now, a nurse says to her. And these words echo in the young woman’s mind. She walks out of the clinic front door, pushing a pram down a ramp. Her thoughts are far away, yet so close to feel a pain stab her heart like a sharpened knife. The...

Committing

When you die of depression or mental sickness, they call it committing suicide; such a violent term, judgemental and condemning even though they sometimes deny your sickness; instead of seeking for clarity they dismiss you as an attention-seeker.   A young lady died few days ago.   Before she jumped they shouted at her: 'Jump,...

Confessions

[Verse 1] Eeeeh, I got an invitation/ Now at the party with people I don’t know/ Clueless of anything like John Snow/ Sitting at the corner by myself/ Waiting for the end of the show/ Just sipping sweet wine they serve/ Then I dart a glance with my dead dull eyes/ And they erect and...

Worthless (Writer’s Block)

Lately, I've been feeling worthless calling myself a writer yet staring at the blank pages on my laptop's screen: wordless!   It's been twelve days already: writing a paragraph or two and hating it, deleting it; what am I to do?   I do read poetry books and novels read newspaper articles and stories but...

Trash Man (Bloodless)

Black girl, thick or thin, beautiful in all her shades./1 Skin gleaming still in the midst of all the hate./2 Hurts to see a sister on the ground; bones broken body burned./3 You brothers, our ancestors died underground; our freedom what they yearned./4 Their sweat and blood serving others rich, yet themselves staying poor./5 Just...

She Was Raised to Believe

She was raised to believe that a man has dominion over her (even the Bible suggests so, doesn't?) and so she has to respect and honor him through it all.   And she was raised to believe in love, that there will be ups-and-down (which is true), and told to persevere, but was never told...

Joyland/Earth Tremor

I wrote on Facebook (3 April 2017) after experiencing earth tremor: "The bookshelves start shaking in front of me, while i am searching for a new novel to read, at floor 6 Merensky Library (Hatfield campus). And I think it's a ghost. Why? Yesterday I just finished a novel by Stephen King (Joyland, where there...

Unmasked (progress)

Peeling my clothes off and standing nude before you./1 And still to you I don't exist, though right in front of your face./2 Anyway, you on a different space; Look, I walk in my own pace./3 Can't lie to you; I should have known we'd never share a view./4 I'm on the stage and you, comfortably sitting...

It’s My Birthday

I’m drowning in my dream when I hear my phone ringing in the distance even though it is under my pillow.   I slowly open my eyes and strain them to see the name crawling on the phone’s screen; it’s Mom. I answer.   ‘Happy Birthday,’ she says happily. ‘Thank you,’ I reply   and...