Igbokwe Roseline
A Kind of Brotherhood
They say this body is flesh and blood that
Can — the next minute — turn into a petri
Dish culturing bacteria, morphing something
Once beautiful into a log of putrefying goodness.
They say that age is nothing but a façadal journey.
It freshens your skin with scoops of honey from
The bowl of youthfulness; wrinkles and weakens
Your walls with pointy nails of old-fashioned age.
They say that death is a cursed blessing. Ailments
Squeezed from roots of grieving shrubs attack; A
Workloom that drains you of your weight and eats
Away your muscles like cankerworms on rampage.
They say that old age and frailties belong to a kind of
Brotherhood. One where an oath is sworn in bloody
Stripes. I count my years of youthful covenant with my
Tongue and it asks — How many years do you have left?
They say God says that the price you pay for life is
Terminal and turbulent. A thralled river vomits a fragile
Soul and a threnody kicks off. A vibrance is swept off
And sown underneath the soil. Another dirge ensues.
Bio:
IGBOKWE ROSELINE is a Nigerian medical student who enjoys creative writing. She resides in Abia State, Nigeria. She has works published in the Moveee, Kalahari Review, Brittle Paper Festive Anthology, Icreatives Review, Stripes Literary Magazine, Arkore Arts, Poetikcity Africa Magazine, Shuzia Anthology, World Voices Magazine, Eboquills, Ta Adesa, SAP Anthology, Writers Space Africa, etc. A winner of the New Cheese Academy, Hera Marketing and Original Talku Talku writing contests; shortlisted for the Labari Prize For Poetry, BKPW prize, Shuzia prize; longlisted for the Wakaso Poetry Prize For Female, DKA Annual Poetry Prize; winner of the Poetree IWD Spoken Word Contest, etc. She’s on Instagram @igbokweroses and X @IgbokweEzinne.
