Mercy

Image | Aftermath of a market fire in Lagos, Nigeria

Mercy
For Kaduna

“mercy. mercy. mercy,” the boy pleads
with the heavy weight of loss sitting on his chest
i kneel before the altar of his skin
& allow these ashes from burnt houses
to sink into my bones.

glory the fire that brought about this homelessness
glory the scar that is itself homelessness
because we tend to give more glory to what looks
like survival … sounds like survival.

he turns towards this old sun to know who
or what lights up this loneliness
and surrenders his throat to the cold songs
of birds rising from his roof.
what am i trying to say?
this boy … this wound … this nation … needs healing.