Let Tomorrow Wait

For Oladayo

Today is Tuesday
It’s been only two days
Why does it feel this way?
I keep counting to be sane
Till we meet again
One...Two...Three
Till we meet again


Let tomorrow wait please
Make the sounds of our laughter
Birth a new day without nightfall
Let tomorrow wait please
I would give up gifts of gold
Flairs and fervor
Just to be with you


Let tomorrow wait please
Our fears can wait till later
Tonight we'll have a ball
Let tomorrow wait please
To have and to hold
A love spiced with so much flavor
A feeling so true

Black Poet

What's not to love about you?
The only one that reminds me of my unsung past
The fresh scent of my footsteps now
the gentle nudge on my gait
As i face the future
Fearless like a tutsi warrior
Only you can bend my knees
In awe of a colorless being
My Lord, my King
Why shouldnt i write for Him?

Danfo

We had travelled through the dust
Zigzagged across the same road
Like a rattle snake
Weary from the poison of the sun
The sultry dance stops suddenly

Oya ebole ebole
The end had come before the end
Nna clutch no dey work
Oya give us our change o
Conductor…conductor….

My feet kiss the muddy earth
I cringe at the cold wetness
Mud mixed with cloud saliva
It’s all coming together

Another rattler for another destination
He kept insisting he wouldn’t take that seat
They were celestial in their white garments
He was different
He carried a bible
He didn’t wear their sultana

I didn’t see them coming
But they did anyway
Like uninvited guests
His index and middle finger
Pointed like a gun
Shielded secretly by the cloak of darkness
Searching for something?
Maybe he was

They came again
Those dreadful fingers
On my breasts
He was hoping to get lucky
Maybe grab a nipple and pinch away
My torch came on
It’s a crazy world I tell you
Crazy world

Would you please take your hands off…
Off where?
The pious voice against mine
Who would have believed?
It’s a crazy world
©Toyin Odewunmi , 2009

The middle of a heartbreak

He watched as she walked in slowly. For a second there was silence. It was rare to see an unaccompanied lady in a bar at night. But the silence didn’t last for long. The club buzzed on with its usual activity. It was a Friday night after all. The same reason he had come here. He hadn’t seen her in a while. Three months actually.

She looked beautiful in the dark room. Her gown barely covered her upper chest; she walked like a model in her six inch sandals. Red. The color of the night. He gulped his beer quickly. He shouldn’t be here. Knowing this was where they met, on a night like this. Seeing her after such a long time brought back the memories. He had come with his colleague, Lulu for a night of fun with the other boys.

They were introduced and became friends instantly. He loved the way she laughed and he marveled at the easy way she made him slip his wedding band into his jacket without being noticed. But they didn’t last. He didn’t want to cheat on Vivian. Even if he did a couple of times. He wanted to confess to her one night but he had used up all of his courage. He ended the affair.

He got up to leave. As he handed Peter the money, he heard her soft voice behind him.

"Hello Henry. Leaving so soon?"

The bar vibrated with Femi Kuti's song. He watched her slowly sip her vodka on ice. She hadn’t said much. Her dark skin looked so radiant. Like hot chocolate. He swallowed hard.

"So, Laide, what brings you here?" trying to start up a conversation.

She looked up for the first time. He noticed she was a bit nervous. She had been fiddling with her glass for sometime. He shifted in his seat.

“Henry, i thought you knew"

Her eyes glittered in the dim corner of the bar. Had she been crying? He couldn’t tell. Women wore too much make-up these days.

"Knew what" his voice shook and he hoped she didn’t notice.

"I’m carrying your child" He saw it then. Two lines across her cheeks. He watched as they descended. Slowly. He felt his heartbeat reduce. Something told him there was more but he didn’t care. He wanted her again.

"We can t-t-ake care of that" He heard a voice that didn’t belong to him but felt his lips move.

"I h-h-have ...."

"I’ve missed you too" he quickly finished for her.

There was a strange air between them. She suddenly hugged him tight and he found his hands stroking her hair.

Why am i here again?

She kissed him with a flush of emotions, her tear stained cheeks brushing against his face. He felt good. He did not think about Vivian and the kids. He thought of Laide. She belonged her with him. She was real.

"Let's go upstairs" He would pay for the upper room in the bar and they would have a great time. He wouldn’t see her again but he didn’t care.

"No Henry there's something I must tell you before we go up"

His desires were taking over. He thought she didn’t want an abortion so he said "Baby i don’t care what you have to say. I need you baaaaaad"

He didn’t know what came over him. He had her like a starved lion. He couldn’t stop. Later, they both lay on their backs. Staring at the ceiling. He held her and whispered in her ears.

"So, what was it you wanted to say?"

"Oh i thought you knew" she pouted her lips like a school girl

"I've got the virus"