Little Prayers

Mama scolded me for gazing at the stars last night
In this world of ours, dreams are things we are forbidden from, our only purpose perhaps
Is to help others acheive theirs

Little Nene kept raising her hands up high,
Counting her prayers one after the other
One; for baba landlord to stop sleeping with mama as our house rent
When this happens, I think real Mama will come back
With her grace, pride
And immense love for the stars that glow the brightest
That way we’ll watch them together again
Two; for baba to safely return back home after being sold,
To people who dealt in gallant warriors and those who made them tender-
As softened cucumbers on a bent stalk
Overgrown
Rotten masculinity
Three; for brother Ike to finally find a job after three years
For the fine sand to delete his footprints from memory
And the heat of the sun to come like the rest will, in some time
To book appointments to shine on my brother
Once in a fortnight would do
And four; for us to be free from slavery
Weakness
Sunburns
And all.