---

a.

here, i am a produce perching besides the distance nightmares. 

with a lengthy lyrics guitar(ing) the larynx like a south-central 

dravidian language. hope, in yoruba “ireti”, i.e the formula of 

planting an apricot flowers that normally bloom a second ahead

of tomorrow. longing. in Lagos, i traded my sweat for the fear of 

unknown where the yellow buses moored to the mouth of the 

Hudson,                  the step with which a body is built for; 

grief-stricken,          dolorous folklore.      tear growing lean out 

of tear. & here's billie eilish's_ never felt so alone, a dark music 

box covered        with colourful smoke of camellia sinensis tea. 

b.

here, the glory of your pocket isn't marked by the eye lens of

muscles__ if journey between dream & a dreamer doesn't take a 

century, then. ideal, shaking loose the heart lugging them. 

saturday evening, asleep in a minaudière.    it draws me closer 

to the lucid phantasm + an unclogged secret + a distance memory= 

an appetite for liberty. it's hard, isn't it?             pulling apart 

breath from living with scalpel:           in- ha- le  ×       ex- ha- le 

= disease                                                             (hairy nymphalid)

c.

here, my mind is a synecdoche of solitude. heartburn that knows 

not a place of its grave. of its home. a whole profane by part. once 

i told myself, everything we own isn't truly ours. our lives are loans. 

abrasion of rented choices.         another reason            with which 

a poem                                 should stay                           unspoiled.

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S. Abdulwasi’h Olaitan is a Nigerian introverted poet, a savant, graphics designer & essayist. He writes from a city 5,280 miles away from hell & a second close to haven “ilorin”. He is deeply devoted to God and lover of his parents & good tea. He is the author of the shortlisted chapbook “Life, An Objet D’art” (Arting Arena Poetry Chapbook Prize 2023), A runner-up winner for Prose Purple Writing Competition 2024 (Poetry category), Honorable Mention for Lit Shark’s 2024 March-April poem of the month and was a finalist for Chukwuemeka Akachi prize (2024). His works appear and are forthcoming on Believeau Books, Bare Hill Review, Pictura journal, Lit Shark, Pawners Paper, Carolina Muse, UGR,The Graveyard Magazine, Arts lounge, Eco punk literary, OPA, MMXVI, Avant Appalachia, Ta Adesa, Wordsmpire, Shooting Star, & elsewhere.