I wrote this a little while ago…while I was still trying my hands at poetry. I have since accepted my fate- I am better at prose.
But I like this one…It reminds me to keep smiling. No matter the scars. No matter what.
I wear you like the tribal marks of an Ibadan man.
You know those men that turn their faces away when they know the rest of the world is staring?
Yes those very ones.
They turn away from the world,
They turn the proverbial other cheek,
Forgetting that they are marked on both sides of life.
Any way I turn, I cannot escape you and the scars you have left on my soul.
I saw an Ibadan man in the bus the other day.
His marks lined the dark canvas of his face
And I wondered if it had hurt
I wondered if it still hurt
I starred at his marks for the longest time.
I couldn’t help myself
He turned towards me and before I could turn away, he smiled.
It was the most beautiful smile ever.
Made more beautiful by the smiles someone had left permanently etched on his face
I smiled back and the scars you left me forgot how to be ugly.
Song of the day: Freshly Ground- Potbelly
Sir Farouk
May 6, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Lovely stuff Ki-Ki. I think you should get a tribal mark of the “I fought with a tiger” variety. It would be tres sexy!
Jyte
May 6, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Err… I’m not a poetry person as such but this is nice.
Muntasir
May 7, 2014 at 5:17 am
Brilliant Kiah. This poem is awesome
Kitten
May 8, 2014 at 3:31 pm
I think that you’re fantastic at both poetry and prose. I love this poem! A beautiful soul remains beautiful, I believe, no matter the outward scars.
HoneyDame
May 19, 2014 at 8:23 am
I’m not even a poem person…yet this makes total sense to me….Well done