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, 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
“wi for tek mental health seriously… see, firstly, wi for pay attention to the young wan dem mind state… castrate those things that could frustrate those beings… noto all tin for lef to god… put am dong, ask am where's the pain coming from… mek wi masam… you're not alone.”
that should be the sound of my city .
No.
It's not because I'm having an affair with a wealthy married man who buys me pretty things and promises me he'll leave her for me; A nɔ want yu.
Yes, I know you're ABC and you do XYZ, you'll take me here and there and do this and that; "But a nɔ want yu".
Even though she'll give the world to be here with you, a jus nɔ want yu.
Your shoes; tanned leather, your collar; starched-stiff, your skin touched with that jc gloss and your back pocket bulging and screaming "you know say money no be problem"
But a still nɔ want yu.
Don't do that. I said no.
Don't call me that. No means no.
Careful now, your ugly is starting to show.
Don't ask me "Aw yu de mek so ba", because I already told you. A nor want u. Without an explanation or apology.
A nɔ want yu.
Rejected, jilted, self conflicted sexually frustrated turned angry, vindictive slanderous story teller.
"Bitch", "slut", "hypocrite" just a few untrue words you said out loud and to every idle ear to restore your shrunken ego, just because I said...
Ebun Tengbeh is a Lawyer and Poet based in Sierra Leone.
