THE OTHER VIRUS

#Poem

Why did you suffer to bring me here if you didn't want me? 

You seemed happy, and spent a lot to celebrate my naming ceremony. I thought I meant something to you. I thought I was special. But I am not, obviously. 

At age three I was already an adult. Fending for myself while I saw kids my age being pampered and treated like a blessing. 

You shipped me off into a life of slavery and suffering just to create space to have another child you won't cater for. 

Because of you, nobody respects me. Nobody sees me as a child who could amount to anything. You cursed my future by denying me a childhood paved with love and affection. 

Now the world has changed. The strangers who fed me, now fear me. And nobody cares how I survive, nowadays. They just see me, insult me, spite me, and chase me away like a goat, whenever I get too close. 

What do I do now? 
Maybe I should kill myself and save everybody the stress. 

If you did not love me enough to keep me wrapped in your warm embrace, you think a stranger would love a dirty, smelly, diseased child? 

People now call me a virus. 
Everybody is rejecting me. 
Cities shut their gates once they see me coming. Now I can't even go home. But where is home? Where nobody wanted me? 

I cannot afford to die now. 
I must survive this. Anyhow. 

And since nobody wants to protect me, I must protect myself. 

Maybe tomorrow, someone would find me worthy of an education and a bright future. Or another could pay me to be a terrorist. Either way, I will get paid. And I can afford to feed myself without being stared-down like a plague. 

But if God leaves me alive, and blesses me with enough food for every day. I would never turn my back on any hungry, dirty looking child. They are silently crying inside. For food. For love. For medical attention. For shelter. 

No child will choose a life of suffering. We are paying for the sins of parents whose faces we can't even remember. 

Hunger is my virus. 
Poverty is my virus. 
Illiteracy is my virus. 

I have armed myself with these used face masks, since I can't afford to buy. And I am no longer afraid of Covid-19. Can I finally come closer? Can I finally get food? Can I finally be granted passage to go home? 😢😢
THE END. 
#Almajiri 
#Covid_19

©JBZ_2020

#Photo_Credit - Chika Onuu 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT IS LOVE? (3)

Image
I once met a girl who seemed to understand me. She wasn't really pretty like that, but damn! She was smart. And there I was, suffering from a chronic sapiosexuality disorder, like a fly on honey, I easily got glued to her personality.  We could talk about everything, and laugh at the dumbest things. There were nights we didn't sleep at all, either chatting on BBM or talking on the phone till dawn. Either way, there was a strong connection.  We talked about the ideal relationship and what made it so.  We talked about the sacrifices, the struggles, the hurt, and the strong desire to make it work regardless.  We sorta knew why most relationships failed; LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING.  The respect was on another level, we no dey miss each other's call o. Even if we did, the call-back was in a matter of seconds. Whenever I ran out of airtime in the middle of a call, I got an automatic top-up from her account. And I also did the same, when my poverty is on a...
Read more

WHAT IS LOVE? (4)

Image
When I joined active politics in 1999, my eyes opened to the three kinds of love that exist in politics... Genuine Love. Fake Love. Misguided Love.  All three are needed in the life of a real politician. You need those who do not love you because of what you give them, those whose love is for sale, and those who only love you because your face looks good on your campaign posters.  The first Group can be harsh in telling you the truth. Some of them will openly tell you not to waste your money, you will not win. But they will never leave your side no matter what, and they will never keep quiet either. The second Group will tell you all the sweet things you want to hear about your campaign, how the other political camps are scared of you, and may be planning to kill you. If this information does not attract any money from you, they will sell same to the other camp about you. They know you're not the one, but they won't dare tell you. Because the benefit of the lies outweighs the ...
Read more

THE COVIDIOTS (1)

Image
"This is your time, sir. Your hour of glory has come, and we must utilize every aspect of this misfortune to grow your fortune." Chief of Staff to the President whispered into his ears as they walked towards the Exco chamber, where all the 36 State governors and Federal Ministers waited for a very important meeting.  #Sule, was a controversial political science lecture at the Federal University Kashere, in Gombe State. His extreme political views against the last administration led to his sacking by the same government he victimized, his publications on social media and the print media played a vital role in the failed reelection bid of former President Ginlok Johnny. Because his followers believed he spoke the truth to authority without fear. They blindly endorsed his candidate of choice in the following presidential election without thinking twice.  His appointment as CoS to President #Mamman Bukar did not come as a surprise to the followers of political happenings in the c...
Read more