The Shook Penis

Sir, your penis doesn't devalue me

You are not that special

I am not made cheap or expensive by your penis

I am not a box of fine products , that when the lid is broken, the value decreases

Sir, it is strange

That you see me that way

I am not a slave

I am not for sale

I am not a tin of sardines

Or some other ridiculousness

You cannot devalue me - you don't have that power

Sir, you are a man, a faulty man, a regular man, a rich and powerful man

You are whoever you decide you are

But what you are not is my god, my master, my manufacturer, my purchaser , my seller.

If you believe a woman is dirty when you touch her, maybe take a look at your hands , your heart, your morality.

Sir, you are not a god.

I am not a sealed or unsealed product. Therefore, I cannot be devalued or valued as such.

I am human. Flesh like you . Equal as you . I am valuable too, because I am human.

Rosaline Johnson is a poet , singer and student based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Hair

I love your hair.

I love your smile when

I tell you so,

You blink your brown eyes,

And wave your hand,

Like you get that a lot;

But you don’t.

I know so,

So I tell you this:

I love,

Your bouncy curls,

Glistening in the same sun,

That loves your melanin,

As much as I do.

I could forever talk about,

How God took Her time

To create you,

But I know you’d never believe me.

So I’ll just admire until you see.

I love your hair,

But most of all,

I love the mindset

Underneath your forever curls.

Zakkiyah Ibrahim is a poet and student living in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Your Roses

I saw the roses you got me.

They were beautiful.

They had thorns,

Much like our relationship,

The red as deep as the lipstick I wear,

To impress you on dates,

The smell as intoxicating as yours when we hug.

But the biggest similarity you have with the roses;

They wilted and faded after sometime,

Just like you did. 

Zakkiyah Ibrahim is a poet and student living in Freetown, Sierra Leone

A sabi yu

A sabi yu, as a tɔk yu dɔn vɛks, wan chans yu nɔ de gi mi fɔ se wetin de na mi chɛst

A sabi yu, wetin pipul dɛn gɛt fɔ se bɛtɛ pas yu pikin in pen

A sabi yu, a kin wan kam nia yu so bɔt yu se a de ambɔg yu, so?

A sabi yu, as yu adɔp, wok nɔ go wɛl, ɛnitin a tɔk naw na pwɛl

A sabi yu, a taya fɔ ɛxplen, bo, mi mama yu de kɔz mi bɛku pen

A sabi yu, as a tɛl yu di tru, yu se a disrɛspɛktful, bɔt mama a nɔ fityay yu

A sabi yu, nɔto ignɔ a de ignɔ, na fred a de fred yu

A sabi yu, yu nɔ kia bɔt mi, wetin na os, klos ɛn plenti it we mi spirit ɛmpti

A sabi yu, as yu kɔl mi so, mi at de kɔt, bɔdi de nav... 'wetin a dɔn du bak'

A sabi yu, mi ɛn yu fɔ wok as tim? bɔt mi at ful, wetin egen a fɔ tot fɔ yu

A sabi yu, yu nɔ de tray fɔ mek dis wok, yu jɔs de mek tings wɔs, yu want mek a listin to yu bɔt yu nɔ wan yɛri wetin a gɛ fɔ tɔk

A sabi yu, we a vɛks ɛn go naw, yu bigin kɔl lɛk natin nɔ apin

A sabi yu, as a kam sidɔn na pala so, yu bigin ala pan mi, aw mi na disapɔyntmɛnt, yu rigrɛt we yu bɔn

A sabi yu, a kɔmɔt na os, o naw yu mis mi? a min yu tɔk se mi ɛn yu nɔto padi!

A gi yu mi ɔltin, a cray fɔ yu te, ɛvri nɛt a de beg Gɔd mek ɔltin fayn bitwin yu ɛn mi, bɔt yu nɔ bi want dat so natin nɔ lɛf egen

A sabi yu, na bikɔz ɔf dat mek a de rɔn pa yu, wetin egen a fɔ du?

Isha Razak is a Sierra Leonean student based in the UK