By Faith Ebiere Eguolo Odele
Finding Home Away
Savages invaded the place I called home
And wrecked our garden where my dreams were planted.
With every move to replant
Their close-out game is strong.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Brute beasts held us captive
And bloodied us with their scourges.
Clasping my dreams with resolve
I pushed against the wall
It was a door of escape.
Another chance at life.
I am ripped apart.
My heart is chopped
The ones I love take pieces of me.
“It’s your time. Go!”
They urge me on, “Go!”
Something blocks my throat and my fingers tremble
My palate craves hot food and spices
But I must live first.
I leave to find home away
A place to belong and plant my dreams
A safe place not here.
Give me snow
Give me noise
Even degeneracy
Anywhere but here
But only one door opens
And I must leave
If I must live.
Alone in the crowd, I walk about
And I find the parks; no scrutiny there
Arms spread out, eyes closed
I hear my heart’s language
A portal opens: lights
I can see my people
Until this place calls me back
“You live here now”
“You owe us rent”
“Open your eyes”
“Work, work, work!”
Sometimes, I go back
Just me and nature unmuffled
I have planted my dreams again
And when I don’t close my eyes
I laugh out loud
I sing
I dance! —
Because no one is watching me.
Listen
Listen to the rhythm
And you will find the music
In the noise.
Listen to the hum
And the drum.
Dance to the beat.
Listen.
Listen to the silence
And hear the songs
Of life it reveals.
Listen to nature
And to culture
Enjoy the muted sounds.
Free your mind from former bounds.
Listen.
Faith Ebiere Eguolo Odele is studying Communication at Texas A&M University. She is interested in researching the evolution (and regression) of gender rhetoric through pre- colonial (Western), colonial, and “post-colonial” contexts, with a particular interest in theorizing and decolonizing gender and racial rhetoric. She hopes to inspire meaningful conversations and foster understanding, compassion, justice, hope, love, and life with her writing and scholarship. Her mind is a constant garden of musings, and sometimes they translate to poetry, prose, essays, or dialogues. In addition to PhDing and musing, she likes to travel to see the world, meet different people of different nations, enjoy their music, learn their songs, dances, and stories, and taste their delicacies.