Poetry: how to go from here by Olúwádáre Pópóọla
Olúwádáre Pópóọla’s poem takes on the shape of water and seemingly its history–one that is vast and complicated with suffering. From a “rootless life” to a “failing government”, the speaker guides its readers through of dense geography of language and memory.
how to go from here
my future is greedy
& my future only wants my body because
i was born in war& raised in war
will make babies inhanded a rootless life
of suspension & my pores tumescent
& jammed up on alternate futures
my future wants my body until i have seen it all
the fresh bruisemelting sugar
failing governmentdead mothers
burnt ricetrimmed aunties
names of ghosts & people& country & border
the water of my future refuses shape
until the aperture of everything fits into my diameter
until the aperture of everything fits into my diameter
toeing my diameter
until the aperture of everything fits:
names of ghosts & people& country & border
burnt ricetrimmed aunties
failing governmentdead uncles
the fresh bruisemelting sugar
my future wants my body until i have seen it all
& the water of my future refuses shape
jammed up on alternate futures
my pores tumescent of
suspension will make babies
handed a rootless life & raised in war
i was born in war & my future only wants my body
because my future is greedy
because my future is greedy
Olúwádáre Pópóọla
Olúwádáre Pópóọla is a Nigerian poet and Sports Journalist. His works have been featured or are forthcoming on Glass, Palette Poetry, The SHORE, Barren Magazine, Jalada Africa, Icefloe, Lumiere Review, angs(t)zine, perhappened, among others and anthologized in the CTC Collective and LUMIN. He was shortlisted for the 2021 Brunel International African Poetry Prize and is a 2020 Best of Net nominee. While his works explore themes of identity, belonging, detachment, family and country, he is currently working on his first chapbook. Follow him on Twitter @ayokunmiasher.
