Anytime I want to talk on Facebook,

About those things the sun drags into my mind,

I see the question: “What’s on your mind?”

 

My mind is a house to the blazing sun

Which burns the skin of man.

Can you handle what’s on my mind?

 

On my mind,

There is a boy from the North holding a mirror

Which does not reflect any part of his own body.

He only sees the faces of his late father’s cows.

 

On my mind,

There is a girl from the South dressed in red,

But her dress wasn’t made from wool nor thread.

It was made from the blood of her late mother.

 

On my mind,

There is a blind old woman from the far East

From whom the day’s sun has made itself hidden.

Every moment of her life is the time after noon.

 

On my mind,

There is an old man from the West who limps,

Whose back is now a slide for kids.

He holds scars from the stars on his narrow chest.

 

On my mind,

There is a beautiful lady from the yellow Skies

Waiting to be wooed by a fine, rich young man.

Her friendship with Time, almost breaking.

 

On my mind,

There is a soldier man, a loyal to his father’s sea

Who wants to waste oceans’ waves with gunshots.

His ship has the green light to turn red the center of the blue sea.

 

On my mind,

There is me, searching for the hands of Peace

In the many pieces of those broken things.

You have asked, so now you know;

What’s on my mind is not on your mind.

 

____

Temidayo Jacob is a Nigerian writer and photographer. He is pseudonymously known as Mayor Jake. His works are based on real-life experiences and societal happenings. His works have appeared on some anthologies, on Poetry Soup, Peeking Cat poetry, Art and Rebellion, Kalahari Review, and elsewhere. He blogs at mayorjake.wordpress.com. He writes from Ilorin, Kwara state.

Photo Credit: Photo by Jairo David Arboleda from Pexels