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Poetry by Abu Yaman
They asked me to write about home
When there is nothing to write home about
They want me to feed their minds with gory JPEGs
But I don’t have the stomach for that
Since we are what we consume, I try to
Watch my intakes and try not to upset my ulcer
With perishables - which is like feeding depression
With anxiety
Therefore,
I’ve chosen to write what offsets them:
Like how his she garnished herself on the vanity
before going out to see him & how he
eenie meenie mannie moed between her
favourite colours before picking the shirt
to their date
Like how my neighbour’s cat preys on milk
& cohabits with her chickens
Like how our landlord’s Alzheimer’s makes him
believe we have already paid the rent every year
Like how we used to rush to get the remote control
to determine which station stays
Like how he quit his job to be with her
Since relationship with co-workers is outlawed
Like how people lie to friends on Facebook but
Tell strangers the truth on twitterlik
Like how garri’s price is higher than cornflakes but
Is still regarded as an inferior good
Like how song beats overshadow the lyrics in Afro pop
Like how your village people are always on time when
Collaborating with the universe to rain on your parade
But are always late to the village meeting
Like how the hundred naira bill was featured in
La Casa De Papel & how G.O.T crew hailed Nigerians for
their views by staying up late to stream new episodes
Like i said, I’ve chosen to
Offset the upsets with those unsung moments
Not captured in positive JPEGs
These are what I want to write because I can’t be
Oppressed and still oppress myself negativities
Or like we say in Nigeria,
I can’t come and kill myself!
Like how we used to rush to get the remote control
to determine which station stays
Like how he quit his job to be with her
Since relationship with co-workers is outlawed
Like how people lie to friends on Facebook but
Tell strangers the truth on twitterlik
Like how garri’s price is higher than cornflakes but
Is still regarded as an inferior good
Like how song beats overshadow the lyrics in Afro pop
Like how your village people are always on time when
Collaborating with the universe to rain on your parade
But are always late to the village meeting
Like how the hundred naira bill was featured in
La Casa De Papel & how G.O.T crew hailed Nigerians for
their views by staying up late to stream new episodes
Like i said, I’ve chosen to
Offset the upsets with those unsung moments
Not captured in positive JPEGs
These are what I want to write because I can’t be
Oppressed and still oppress myself negativities
Or like we say in Nigeria,
I can’t come and kill myself!
Abdulrahman M. Abu-Yaman is a Nigerian writer and poet. His works have been featured anthologies like Ann Arbor Review, Afritondo, The Lagos Review, London Grip Magazine, Aké Review, North Dakota Quarterly, Blue Minaret and elsewhere. His artworks have been exhibited during Kaduna Book and Arts Festival (Kabafest) and Borno Book and Arts Festival (Bobafest). He is the co-founder of Minna Literary Society (MLS) and winner of Wakaso Poetry Prize and Hysteria Writing Competition 2021. Abu-Yaman is a fellow of Ebedi International Writers Residency.
