“Talking to grandpa at the feet of an alarm”

By Aiyejinna Abraham O

TALKING TO GRANDPA

AT THE FEET OF AN ALARM.

you never believed in setting alarms.

you will say alarms are set by those

who are sure of tomorrow; [& sunrays

never met you sleeping.] at the base

of the smooth-barked tree stretching

out in the middle of the compound,

i dawdle out of my room to always

see you there, curved in your rocker,

eyeing the cold orange sun as if it hid

gold in its mouth—i oft thought you

drew essence & buttered bones from

the tree until today: your shadow

isn't cast upon its body like a child

caught between the arms & chest of

his father. the leaves are autumn-ing.

i know you can't see mum's eyes—

they are weak like damped teabags.

the house is silent except for her

organic violin synchronizing with

the alarm clock that's snoozing for

the fifteenth time... i'm a question:

for the first time grandpa, you set

an alarm; you became sure of tomorrow.

why did you not see it?

Aiyejinna Abraham O. is an upcoming poet fascinated by unanswered questions. Presently, he studies Applied (industrial) chemistry in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. He is a christian who loves his country & wishes that it doesn't become cold ash. His works are published (or forthcoming) on EBOquills, PRAXIS magazine, EOPP 2020 finalists' anthology: Beyond the veil of walls. A NNDP 2020 finalist. Whenever he is not chemistry, he is poetry. He lives in Nigeria. Meet him on Instagram aiyejinnaab, Twitter AiyejinnaAB.