Sometimes it feels like a flower
is dying in your womb.
So you clutch your groin as though to prevent
A water pot from spilling your child on the rocky earth.
You look up to the place they told you prayers were answered
And mutter one word, “please” before your lips forget how to speak.
Fear traps the prayer in your heart and your mouth is too crippled to walk to
God.
There are nights you feel a hand
crawling into your womanhood and trying to pluck
the fruit of your womb.
In a nightmare, this hand calls itself death
and you watch him squeeze your child into pulp
and you scream your way back only to find
bloodstains on the door post of your
womanhood.
During the Mass, you kept your eyes on the crucifix
and wondered if “Hail Mary” was a prayer
to praise the bravery of a mother
for watching her son being pegged to a post.
You wondered if “Our Father”
was a mere poem to worship the ego of a deadbeat
God.
Ifiokobong Etuk
(KING of the QUILL) is a Nigerian student of Communication and Media Studies, a spoken word and recording poet, writer, podcast editor and a broadcast producer with Premium 89.9 where he presents and produces a literary appreciation show titled “LAURETES LOUNGE” on Wednesdays, 9pm. He writes poems about ideas that are often undermined such as trauma, boyhood and their development into manhood, African heritage, etc. Through his writing, he approaches these concepts in different perspectives and view points. His works have appeared on thepeaceexhibit.com, Fiery Scribe Review, etc. Catch him on Facebook: @King Ofthe Quill. Twitter: @Kingofthe_Quill. Instagram: @kingofthe_quill.