My grandmother lays red bricks that push down on the whisker-thin fibres of my bony back// her shaky hands trembling from the voices of our ancestors// echoing in the depths of her age-addled mind// In between the sound waves pulsing// from the clinks of chains wrapped around her heart// I see the shadow of a being ripped apart from the innermost fragments of her essence// until it became nothing but a drop of rain in a lake of lava// Scorched by the heat// her throat no longer holds the melodies that used to drift over the grass fields of the village playground //now replaced by a hoarseness that accompanies yes’s from her chapped lips//Her blind eyes hold dreams that steer our sinking boat along the sea of misogyny and bigotry// She hopes I will be different// but my mother was buried under the same earth my grandmother crushes me with// her body unrecognizable// after the wrath of the elders descended upon her like a testosterone-fueled thunderstorm // Will you teach me to say no, grandmother?//Will your shoulders support mine when my legs cave under the weight of our legacy?// Will you give me the treasure within you that we seek?
Bio:
Olabisi Bello is a female Nigerian who aspires to be a biomedical engineer. She loves the fluidity and joy writing has granted her, and she hopes to make an impact in society with this gift and her overall devotion to making the world a better place.