Poetry is not always about the aesthetics of concrete poems and the symphony of rhymed verses. Sometimes, it is didactic. Other times, it documents the Afro-wits and wisdom passed down by our ancestors. This is what Joshua James Onuh does with his poetry. These two poems are simple and beautiful.

– Editorial Team

The Hunter’s Food

The hunter’s food is a mix of songs and tears
Trapped in the forest of the masses
It’s the sweat of the widow who wakes up before her son(s)
And breaks stone for bread

The hunter’s food is a lie
Spiced with organic truth
It’s the untold story of the journalist who was arrested
And maimed as a terrorist

The hunter’s food is the people’s plight
It’s the welfare of the people
Devoured by the molars of corruption

The hunter’s food is you and I
Chastened to penury by slithering servants
It’s our voice(s) cut into pieces of silence
And spread before the eyes of the sun

Gwede L’eche
(Celebration of Life)

“Breathe in
Let your being be rooted in the moment
Of the earth’s skin
Rub lotions of Love
Smile
Breathe out
Do it again”
My Grandpa is 104 years old
Yesterday, age harvested all his tooth
She squeezed his skin to wrinkles
All the energy he once had, she drained out
Every day, my Grandpa sits on his black armchair
And listens to the wind
In the morning(s), he bathes in the sun’s light
In the evening(s), he falls into the stars
And sleep under the duvet of the night’s sky
Time knows him better than anyone
They are best of friends
Today, I asked him
What is your secret Grandpa?
He said;
“ Breathe in
Let your being be rooted in the moment
Of the earth’s skin
Rub lotions of Love
Smile
Breathe out
Do it again”

About The Author

Joshua James Onuh is a student who majors in computer sciences. He is very enthusiastic about creative writing which he often uses as a means to express his world of ambiguities and Saudade. Aside writing and software development, he loves networking and playing chess.