for grandma
some memories stand like plaques
on the cabinets of my mind,
never to be blown away by the wind
of time. some rivers overflow
their shores, some dreams will find
no human to live them.
we let fabrics gather dust on the dresser,
watch time begin its work
of destruction; moult. rust. decay.
some thoughts submit themselves
at the temple of our hearts, waiting
to morph into words. maybe
they never will & can only
trickle as tears—little rivulets
that purify the mirror of our minds.
& in the cleansing, we remember
that rainbows do not fade without
leaving footprints in the sky.
call this a ritual of remembrance;
a bunch of colours waiting to be re-named.
Damilola Omotoyinbo,
Frontier XIX, is a Nigerian Creative Writer. A Fellow of the Ebedi International Writers’ Residency, Damilola got the Lolwe Classes Scholarship and was longlisted for 2022 African Writers Awards. She has work published or forthcoming on Brittle paper, Agbowó, Pepper Coast Lit, Afritondo, Better Than Starbucks, Praxis, Ake Review, Nigerian Tribune Newspaper and elsewhere. Damilola studied Biochemistry. You can say hi to her on IG and FB @ damilola_omotoyinbo or Twitter @creative_riter.