WHITE EYES
by Olusegun Ogunmola
With that alluring paired rarity
Housed in new ocular sockets,
You stare at me in normal curiosity
(The sensorimotor stage isn’t past yet).
You poke mine in Edenic innocence
(Your circumcision is still rather fresh),
I envy yours— its intimidating whiteness—
My own time they tempt me to refresh.
But white is only beautiful
For as long as it is unstained;
It is red, brown, black, purple…
That aren’t so averse to stain.
Those who have learned to hear
Every tick of the clock in a day,
For bread to eat and raiment to wear,
Don’t have your kind of eyes today.
Eyes, which, on days long as months
Befriend smokes from hearths of clay,
Frying garri*, akara**— for peanuts—
Are now fiery as the Lord’s terrible Day.
Those who have emptied the library,
Just to earn a number—an alphabet too—
Mere songs in your own nursery—
Don’t own white eyes, I can bet you!
Your father’s are bloodshot with alcohol,
Your mother’s— discoloured by tears;
Your brother’s are dyed red with tramadol,
And your sister’s— tainted by fears.
Your eyes may not be pure forever,
They will be stained willy-nilly;
But let Nature be their own tinter,
Not your wrong; not your folly!
* garri: a staple food made from cassava
** akara: the Yoruba name for fried bean cakes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
‘Segun ‘Mola (Olusegun Ogunmola) is a budding poet, singer, songwriter, and musician. He chooses to see his works as media for baring his mind on various subjects, from the perspective of his faith and convictions. He places much value on “little things”, as he believes that great things more often than not emerge from the seemingly small and insignificant ones. He is inspired primarily by personal vicissitudes, society, and relationships (with God and man). He is a graduate of University of Ilorin, Nigeria, where he studied Health Education.
Good work….