ORI

Man’s history is a shadow
of mysteries. Truth lies
In the message of Kowe—
of deliveries & departures
—twilights & dawns.

I was told I own a star
—that my head is my god!
So I lay my head
on a soft pillow & dream
of stars & paradise…but

the head is a knot
of thoughts—cocktail
of lies, fantasies & half-truths.
A buffet of unanswered questions.

Time is illusive.
Yet the breeze feels real
—night grows into day
& the seasons mutate.
I feel the tongue
of rain, the prickly fingers
of the sun—the lust
in my loins & the life
in her belly.
Beyond dreams, I feel
the hustle for crisp cash
& the quest for relevance.

Perhaps my star exists
only in my head.
I do not query
the science of god
or the god of science—
neither do I argue about
seeds & sources. It matters
little what egg hatched the first
chick or what hen laid the first egg.

I was told my head
is the key to destiny—so
I hold it in my palms each
morning, say a prayer—
let my head carry me
to a good place.
———————
Poem © Jide Badmus
Image by Joshua Nicholas Vanhaltren from Pixabay (modified)