Floral Nuptials

Photo: Tiffany Chan

(For Nenye and Akwa, 24 June 2017)

Now, all will see

Emerged from a granite slab, a rose

Neat, blooming, devoid of dust and dirt

Young, shimmering in midair and sun and rain

Ebullient and free still, like small miracles of every day

And…

Naïve, but defying the elements

Destined to the rarity of happily-ever-after…

Anchored on an emerald bust

Keen to the prolificacy of floral wombdom

Welcome with bare embrace the laughter of buds

And their own finer petals in slim decades to come.

About the Author

Kingsley Alumona is a geologist and a reporter from Delta State, Nigeria. He has a BSc in Geology from the University of Nigeria and an MSc in Applied Geophysics from the University of Ibadan. He works at the Nigerian Tribune newspaper. His works have appeared in the 2018 African Book Club Anthology, Kalahari Review, Nthanda Review, TUCK magazine, Brittle Paper, Daily Trust, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, The Independent, The Vanguard, Business Day, This Day, New Telegraph and The Sun newspapers. You can reach him on Facebook: @kingsly.alumona.1