Issue 3
By Ugwu Kingsley Ikenna
MEMORY IN GLASS
In the heart of Africa
Where the red earth drums
Morning dew clings to the cocoyam leaves
We ran barefoot through the yam mounds
Endowed by nurture
Crowned by nature
Gazing at the beautiful wonders of the sky
Each star held so high
By magic hands above the sky
Counting each like a gift for the future
Beautiful pastels of rainbow
Colouring the vast dreams
Scent of corn and ember filled the breeze
Mama’s voice echoes like that of a nightingale
Singing lullaby that lures to sleep
Unique scent of Mama's wrappers
Richer than Arabian musk
A tale of where love begins
Papa’s arm nested around
Battling fears no sword could wield
On his shoulder, solace was found
Which felt like the cradle of Everest
His voice rumbles like thunder
Each spark, a light on my path
Drank from the great Osimili
Each drop, a fountain of life
Hunted in the recess forest valleys
The soil caressed my soles
Moonlit tales under the Udala tree
Fireflies dancing to the chorus
We pitched our dreams
Weaved life out of leaves
Drums pulsed our names
The great Ikoro echoes life into us
Hearts aglow like the weaverbird
Laughter echoing beyond the horizon
Years blew by like harmattan mist
The roads cracked
With the winds, laughter faded
Once bright fields, now dark and cold
Not even the gods walk these paths
The place I once called home
The wind still whispers my name
My heart unfurls in boundless space
A place of roots, now filled with ruins
A place I once called home, now unknown
Ugwu Kingsley Ikenna is a Nigerian of Igbo descent in his early twenties. Although trained as a medic, Kingsley has a deep passion for the arts, particularly African literature. His environment has played a significant role in shaping his artistic perspective. One of his poems was published by the Chimefule Research Center (CRC) in its poetry anthology. He is also a contributor on Spillwords. For Kingsley, writing is a channel to captivate, educate and enlighten.