POEMS COURTESY OF BLOSSOM

AUTISM

You cry and scold me for not consoling you,
like this fountain breaking out of your face
does not make you beautiful.
Or isn't that the reason for tears?
Emotions?
You will say I do not understand again.
Leave, Leave.

Do not ask me to narrate vacation.
Do not force me to gaze into your eyes.
Just how easily can you gift a smile?
Must I, too, paint this burden on my face?
Make a wrap of my cheeks,
a ribbon of my lips
and unbox a case of teeth?
Just let my scripted tongue juggle,
Just let me be this alliteration,
this ritual, this rehearsing rivulet of repeat.

I have written this poem before
and stacked them up like a tower of white bricks
until it comes scattering down
and I remain cursed with a language only I understand.
But in this story, I am both the builder
and the god.
Tomorrow I will do the same.
No line will be altered, no word omitted;
The end will not change, not change,
will not change.

©Samuel Adeyemi

Blossom Obi is a writer and a public speaker, from Imo state Oru East LGA, in the eastern part of Nigeria. She was born and raised in the city of Lagos. Writing has always been second nature to her, having written several write-ups, poems, and articles online. She is the author of ‘The Broken Woman’, a series of article written to help women who go through challenges from family, health, relationships amongst others, giving them a sense of hope as well as transforming whatever situation they find themselves as they become better versions of themselves. She is also the founder of blossomobiblog.com.ng and the founder of the True Women Foundation.