My father's eyes when his best friend died
Photo: Chris Buckwald
Death sometimes announced its presence in the neighbourhood
like a trumpet blown in the street of someone listening to 90’s blues.
He knew that soon, that sound will be the proclamation
of his end time, but he blocked it out with the kind of tunes
he liked to hear. In my father's eyes, I saw
a prayer not to exit this world in shades of darkness
that blinded his eyes and fed on his joy. He was traumatised
to his droopy flesh and brittle bones for they shared the same
disease, but death spared him this time.
About the author
Yvonne Nezianya is a young Nigerian writer, (performance) poet and final year student of Health Education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She writes to tell silenced stories of young girls and people facing mental health issues. Her short story, Wonders of Spirits, was shortlisted for the K and L Prize 2020. Her works have appeared in the Micah Anthology by Poets in Nigeria, Black Skin No Mask, Ethereal, The African Writers Review and elsewhere. Connect with her on Instagram @yvonnenezy_writes and twitter @nezi_yvonne.