by Afọlábí Bólúwatifẹ́

IX

Because forgetting

is unforgivable,

irredeemable even

and we must not go too far

from redemption

beyond reach-

of  Abram’s water drops.

VIII

Because pain must be kept-

safe

to be felt

again

and again.

VII

Because we must never stop trying

to define beauty

even when our inks embrace emptiness

and pens fall into pits-

of clichés

and stereotypes.

VI

Because fragnance is transient

and a sunrise

is never complete

without words-

radiant,

magical,

warm.

V

Because time is infinite

and life is measured in spaces-

between seconds

between laughters

between tears.

IV

Because they said-

‘feelings are just biochemical reactions

in the blood and brain’

neurotransmitters bumping against receptors-

exciting

inhibiting

exciting.

But we had to prove Loewi wrong.

III

Because words don’t die

and immortality has not lost the gaiety

that bewitched Galahad

so we still attempt

to bury parts,

organs-

in alphabets

and phrases

and paragraphs.

II

Because of voices

between sulci and gyri

that won’t stop whispering-

puns,

quips,

poetry.

That have grown resistant to Haloperidol.

I

Because,

Because one thousand  poems are not enough.

Because there is always space for one more-

‘I am lost without youboluwatife

I can’t live without you

I am empty without you.’ 

__________

Afọlábí Bólúwatifẹ́ is a 4th Year Clinical student at the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan. He is passionate to a fault about poetry and is currently working on publishing his first collection of poetry. His poems have been published on Kalahari Review, Kollectiv, several online blogs and some editorial boards at the University.

He tweets via @oluafolabi.