What do we call these soldiers,
That whip and leave question marks on our bodies?
How do we remotely pause this display
Or chance this chosen cheerful chairlady?
At the mention of the name of “Power”,
Every desperate heart must bow —
To the attachment of rituals and sacrifices;
To the yeggman and burglar of our true selves.
In the name of power, the week loses strength
And all days are numbered.
In the name of power, godliness has rivals,
Territories lost their “auda-cities”.
This main mental malady has made men mad:
It is a bloody campaign, a breath for heights and wits!
A custody for custodians of costly customs,
A powerful snapshot with the rule of thirds.
This is a theorematical powerful pythagoras,
A mythology of fake realities—
This excessive pursuit for power to suit our souls is a beautiful “venom”.
This excessive love for power is the root of all evil!
Flourish Joshua
IG | Twitter: @fjspeaks
+2347056360775
[email protected]
About the Author
Flourish, Joshua Molòlùwa is an Award-Winning Nigerian Poet & Author of “Arúgbó ń Ṣ’oge”, his debut poetry chapbook. His essay, “The Nexus”, won 2rd runner-up at the 7th Ngozi Agbo Essay Competition. He was shortlisted for Pen On Fire Creative Writing Contest Season 1. He had had interview sessions with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs) Fọláṣadé Ogunsola. His poems are featured weekly in the bulletin of MFM Int’l Hqtrs Youth Church. He was performance poet at Dr. Taiwo Ojo’s Book Launch, on CHANNELS TV, 2019. His poem, “There is a Way that Seemeth Right” was 1st runner-up at the Lagos-Badagry Poetry League. Flourish, Joshua Molòlùwa writes poetic prologues for Dr. D. K Olukoya’s books. His poem, “Reincarnate”, was anthologized in the fifth Chinụa Achebe Essay/Poetry Anthology. He is currently Ogun State Cordinator of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers. Presently, Flourish Joshua teaches Literature in a Secondary School in Lagos State and was recently nominated for the Best Messager Poet 2020 at the ZenPens Literary Award, 2020. His works have been published and are forthcoming in Rattle, Palette Poetry, Praxis Magazine, Beloit Poetry, Glass Poetry, AGNI magazine, The Sun Magazine, Kalahari Review, African Writers, ZenPens, Kreative Diadem, Poemify, NaijaHotstars, BellaNaija, and elsewhere. He writes from a serene and cold estate in Ogun State. You may find him on Instagram & Twitter @fjspeaks.
