I Wore My Husband’s Attire

(A tribute to all widows)

As cloud houses rain
And soil slurp every drop
My heart caves the pain
Of Khalid’s death

The thirst for love
Hits the floor of our palate
And tie five beads
Around our Apple Blossom gown
on a…day

The scent from two lily petals
Flogged the follicles
Flawlessly rolling in our nose
on a…day

Khalid’s cells lose their strength
To the shrinkers and I dreamed
Of road covered with ice
on a…day

I melted the iced road
With fire rekindled from my palm
And paved way filled with pansy
on a…day

And today, I set free the duck
Waddling in my teary puddle
And wore my husband’s attire.

ZAINAB ILIYASU BOBI

is a Nigerian writer, poet, spoken word artist, and street photographer. She is studying Medical Laboratory Science at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, Nigeria. She is an avid reader and a member of Hilltop creative art foundation, and All Poet Network (APNET). Her work is published in Nnoko magazine and forthcoming in the Kalahari Review and Hilltop creative art Abuja branch anthology. She believes that a word from the heart can save some lives without the use of a stethoscope or a microscope.