Joemario Umana is a creative writer and poet, whose poem “an iroko tree with fiery beards” is forthcoming in the anthology publication of NSPP 2022.

Tears is not a Metaphor for Weakness 

The sleepy lantern trying to stay awake

and the crickets with the frogs singing lullaby,

bear witnesses when mother fed me this. 

“If storm clouds hover over your head

like a halo over the heads of celestial. 

If pain clutches your heart into a fist, 

and the world’s weight weigh on your 

shoulders, using you as a beam. 

If by this, dark clouds find home in your eyes, 

and your eyes feel so heavy laden and pregnant. 

Let the rain fall down your cheeks my boy

for there is no shame in being human. 

There is strength in tears my son

Let it all out and then move on”

Contributor’s Bio

Joemario Umana is a creative writer and poet, whose poem “an iroko tree with fiery beards” is forthcoming in the anthology publication of NSPP 2022, in which his poem was chosen among 50 others. His poems, “the artist’s eye” and “the past is a prisoner behind yesterday’s bars” won the 2021 Miss Oreime Poetry Contest and got shortlisted in Bkpw poetry contest in January edition, 2023 respectively. Some of his poems have also appeared on other platforms including blogs like Nairaland.

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