Dear Love Poem by Aminu Aliyu

For Zakiya
(Dear, Love...)

There is no sand-storm that can obliterate the reality of who we are and what I am with you. This love that's here before us knows the name of forever, and these hearts that live with us before these bodies have swon to the call of this love; to live beyond where the wind stops, to ripple from tides to torrents and then another; unstopable cascade, like your love; the atlas of unknown heavens, like your face that washes the moon into night, like your voice that carries the taste of sugar-cane, like your eye that holds the sacred of zam-zam and your walk that lulls the hubbub of hamattan to rest.

I know it is tonight as these lines thick, tracing the road where Zaria and Jos meet in a kiss. I know it is your birthday as this moon dims to let your name beam into heavens. I know it is you my love as this wind pauses to let our love whirl, to roll and rise beyond the coverage of immorality. I know it is us in the city of love because this love is beyond the rain that showers.

But tonight z a k i y a, before the morning comes, let me run miles to board your name on the long hands of stars. Let me run speeds to color the morning coming with the shard of your face fromwhere the moon fetches its freshness.

Z a k i y a if tomorrow comes, I will tell the birds to pick from the texture of your voice. I will tell the sun to see from the twilight of your eyes. I will tell the earth to forage from the cleft of your smile and the angels on the four walls of africa to file these lines to the man in the horizon; an anthem for them to thrill; an oblation to save you from the thorn of your years yet to sprout.

Happy birthday z a k i y a, happy birthday my l o v e. Your portrait in this heart of mine will go on and on like forever, to take away eternity. I will gulp onto it for it is the water that thrills my thirst. Your love the name of reture. Your smile the lantern of light on dark road of night. Your kiss; the steep that opens the vista of heavens and our love the rivulate lifted from the seven paths of heavens...! I love you...!

Happy Birthday My Diamond!