Memories From Childhood; Poem by Adesina Ayobami Idris

MEMORIES FROM CHILDHOOD

(for Abdullahi)

during childhood // at iloko // we lived in our father’s compound // with 4 moon // & 18 stars of people // each moon was given to him // to marry // for his goodwill // & wayfare // we slept on the tiny mat // in his big parlour // rolling our body west & east // on the cold floor // we woke to the muezzin call // from the minaret // we made loud breathe from our mouth // to feign deep sleep // because prayer // to us // is a far journey in a closed land // sometimes we would run into our mother’s wrapper // to conceal ourselves from subhi // we would peer into his ablution // from hiding // to pun his big tesbih // & look of religiosity // we would slip from our compound // to ride tyres // with other children // past the surface of the village // we choose our profession // by our father’s name // while we settle to build sand castles // with girls that wore their naked innocence // lay promises // in its rooms // & name the girls our bride // while they nail their arm // to their head // in disapproval // they would spice our tongue with sweet sand soup // we ran home // either // to feed hunger // from our mother’s palm // covering our mouth from others grains // or // at the arrival of rain // & dance our way into // it’s pouring // jumping // clapping // running // in rain // with filthy pant // & the bliss of childhood // that left with the rain