POETRY
Two Poems

By Bolanle Emmanuel

---What inspired this was a movie I watched called Wheel Of Change it was a Nigerian movie about a lil gurl who had AIDS. It was deep because it made me cry...lol but also I felt sad because you can tell from the movie that people are being misinformed about how the disease is contracted. In this movie they say it can be contracted from sharing a toothbrush or kissing. I don't know this is just very disturbing. but yea this inspired it.
-Bola

My eyes have witnessed its victims crying

My hands have touched the bodies it has left lifeless

I want to warn them, but they don’t hear me

I try to push my voice through a crowd that refuses to accept

They see me, but ignore me

They continue to kill society and not acknowledge its existence

They pretend what I’m saying is useless

Not important

Since he and she was not them.

Her tears and His death

Do not affect their nest

Ignorance and bliss wins

Half an hour of pleasure wins

A baby being put in the grave before being given a name wins

Death wins

My voice has to be heard

No more metaphors

I can’t let this epidemic grow

Aids is real and it’s killing my people

It’s erasing our future and adding to the corruption

This is not a scam this is not 419

Start getting tested or you’ll be next in line.

Start not doing it at all and be that activist who turns the wheel of change.

I want you to know our country is in an uproar because war has been declared

Condemning us to 310,000 deaths and 3.6 million yet’s

and still some refuse to acknowledge our country is being demolished by a sickness.

My eyes watered as I watched them carry yet another away

My hands reached out and touched him one last time

My voice must be heard before it’s too late before another loved one is erased

DOUBT

A love Story

Her Thoughts

I'm sitting here

Watching you

Watching me

I feel the positive energy

I feel the sparks

The electricity in my heart

My hands are trembling

My voice stutters

"HI, what’s your name?"

My words choke out

Crackly and hoarse

Damn...he probably thinks I sound horrible

I messed up

I try to stand and walk away very sexy and smooth

But I stumble

Over my own shoe's

Damn...

He probably thinks I’m a clumsy fool...

His Thoughts

I’m sitting here watching you

Watching me

Your beautiful smile

Makes my heart flutter

"My names Leke what’s yours?"

"Bola"

It’s so sexy the way your voice stutters

I feel the positive forces around us

This may sound sweet to the average Kat

But girl you make me blush

Since I’m a man and not a boy I don't laugh when u stumble

Instead I keep my chuckles on a hush

I'll take it slow and observe you some more

No need to rush the party ends at 6 and it's only 4

That leaves plenty of time for us

I must admit I wish you wouldn't dance with another brotha on the dance floor

But... I’m sure of myself

If it's you I want

I’ll get

Her Thoughts

My friends say he's eyeing me

Watching me

Summarizing me

Waiting to run in for the kill

Seal the deal

But I feel I’ve messed up any possible connection

The way he gazed at me when I walked away

made me feel as if he was happy I didn't stay

I wish to be beside him

Staring him down

Mentally undressing him under my artificial smile

See I’ve already start imagining me and him living together kissing and loving each other

Eventually walking down that aisle

In one hour I’ve already imagined the innocent face of our first child

Oh Jesus he's standing up and coming this way each stride he takes the structure of his face

His clothes his shoe's looking GQ excellent he's not perfect but he's next to it

Closer and closer he gets I’m nervous my eyes blink non-stop

My legs shake in spot

Now face-to-face I erase all my doubts he likes me....

His Actions

"Bola, would you like to dance? If not, simply hold my hand and let me soothe your doubtful heart let me show you how much I admire who you are let me show you I understand your hesitation that’s why I stuck with determination

Instead of punking out

I know what being a good man's all about

Bola my Naija Queen

Can I, Leke be your Naija King?