Poetry

Reuters photo

By

Ayeyemi Taofeek

And Ramadan Is An Antidote

For the excess fats, cholesterols, and needless fleshes,

For the filthy bowels, paunchy livers, wet lips and watery tongues;

For the heavy body burdened by the above gluts,

Ramadan is a redeemer, regulator and moderator.

For the tap of tears and well of grieves we dug in others,

For the stolen fruits, from others, we’ve devoured.

Without having to drink hot water and pick race,

Ramadan is a toxic elixir that melts them to faeces.

And for the zillions of veils between us and Allah,

Which he lifted to 70,000 so Musa (AS) may speak with him,

Ramadan is the lifter of every single veil so we may

speak directly to our Lord, who grants all, at Iftaar.

The stolen sleeps for Taajud and restless nights for Taraawih;

The discomfort of eating at Sahuur and pain of pining for Iftaar;

The parched tongues and the pain of pangs of hunger;

Are, all, tools for Ramadan’s surgical operation.

Now That The Devil Is Chained

Now that the devil is nabbed and chained

With his offsprings, wives, and are pained,

Who will you point finger at for going astray,

Telling lies, playing around, refusing to pray?

Will you not pick the prison left by the boa

And chain yourself therein, but never roar,

Hiss like the sinful snake which you are,

Swallow the hells, never hope for a cooler.

Shaitan is chained but you unleash yourself

With self-inclination ruling over your self.

Gradually, it’s dragging you out of the meadow

Of blessing of this month into lifeless shadow.

It’s not too late to turn a new leaf, we’re just half way today.

Put on the regalia, never wait for the uncertain last ten days.

Taajud: Vigil

Taraawihi: A ten-standing prayer at night

Sahur: The food before daybreak

Iftaar: The breaking of fast

Ayeyemi Taofeek

Ayeyemi Taofeek (Aswagaawy) is a Nigerian poet and essayist. He is the First Runner Up at the Okigbo Poetry Prize (UI 2016), 2 times Writer of the Year Award (LASULAWS 2016 and 2017), the Creative Writer of the Year Award (TPC 2016) and many other coveted prizes. He was listed among the #EGCtop50 Contemporary Poets that rocked Nigeria in 2016, and the #TPC African Poets Encyclopedia 2016 and 2017.

His works have featured in many anthologies and online literary platforms such as Omojuwa, Peregrine Reads, Pengician, PIN Quarterly Journal, SPIC Monthly Anthology, WRICON Quarterly Journal among others. He is the Convener of Writers Connect (WriCon) and Lead Rep, PIN, Ojo Connect Centre.