Sand

A Poem by Temilolu Awofeso

The sand

amber-light, glistening in the white-scorched sun with a gruesome demise

of the daughters and sons down the trodden black tree, racing low; kicking high upon the crescentic dunes

its history perplexing, depressed; sunken, reformed (or so it was) by its decapitating hands

the texture rough, impure, sitting pretty on the red, murky earth

listening to the cries of cracked bones under its surface, displaced smiles plastered unto skulls

souls cremated, for they were but of rotten flesh in and out, nothing more nothing less

their spirit; a warfront, the sand-bed; a battleground

where nature rose high like blackbirds trailblazing the horizon

bold, quick-eyed, the vengeance victorious over man and their machinery

unloved daughters and sons stolen away right under the eyes of their future seeds

out of the iridescent orange light into the dark, sunken place

leaving the curse to be passed on like a flaming torch in a relay race

the red-blue flame grew, roaring high like lions in the yellowish afternoon glow,

their generations grew brighter, blonde hair, livid

as though sustained by purer air, enriched with forgiveness, regret, inhumane.

“People across the walks of the world have different means of communicating the thought within their skulls. This is my method, the art of poetry; as this piece carries within it a piece of my soul, heart, blood, a glimmer of life lost and found in me…[ALA Writing & Rhetoric classes] have enriched my vitality, passion, and wit in using the English language to communicate, inspire, innovate ideas, and shape meanings.”

Temilolu Awofeso is a 16-year-old hailing from Lagos, Nigeria. A student in the ALA class of 2017, he currently serves as a Student Blog Writer for the ALA Newsletter. Email him at temilolu.awofeso@gmail.com.