Father said, “face your studies and read your books”
Mother said, “focus on your relationship with God”
Big sis said, “men are liars and boys are just men in training”
Bestie said “…but he is not fine”
No one understood
No one understood the shortness of breath she seemed to suffer whenever he was near or the quickening of her heartbeat when he threw her one of his roguish smiles
Every now and then, he sent her poems
Its poor content and his poor handwriting make it even more endearing
She wrote at the back of her notebooks, silly nonsense like “Faith weds Jide” and “Mrs Faith Akunbe”
What was this delightful new thing that stole her reasoning like a pickpocket at Yaba Market?
Could she be about to star in her very own Telenovela?
So on the 14th of February 2011 during the short break underneath a mango tree, she uttered her first “yes”
Thus began the journey to her first regret
She mistook excitement for love and uttered her first “yes”
Now her eyes clouded up when he entered her field of vision
She often entertained the thought of screaming at him
She couldn’t find solace in memories
Bestie said “a finer boy would come soon jare”
Big sis said “I warned you but you wouldn’t listen”
Mother said “It is part of life my dear”
Father said “I hope you have learnt your lesson”
Von is a self-proclaimed philosopher and anti-conformist. Born 10 a.m. on the 16th of August with a sole mission to surpass every poet of the past and present.
