My Poetry Poem by Ibrahim Bidu

My poetry is my refuge

It is the only way I know

How best to live.

It gives meaning to my life

And to feelings and dreams

Of those who dwell my real world,

Not forgetting of those

From the imaginary lands

Whose world I inhabit

Whenever I need some insight

During turbulent times.



I lay no claim

To being an accomplished poet

As I care little

About what critics might say.

I give little respect

To rules and conventions,

What matters to me most

Is to just get it off my chest.

And I do not care much either,

Whether I say it in my head

Or aloud to the world proclaim.



It is my telescope

With it I peer

Into far away lands.



It is my microscope

With it I discover and magnify microbes

Into sizes the world can perceive.



It is my stethoscope

With it I take pulses

And eavesdropp on hidden functions.



It is my scalpel

With it I dissect the world

Mutilate and dismember it

To get rid of the rotten

And diseased parts.



It is my blindfold

With it I black out the world

When I’m ashamed of

Or lack the courage to face it.



It is my mirror

With it I see the blemish

On my skin and of those of my ilk,

Immune to my naivety and vain pride.



My poetry is my saviour

With it as my garb

I have no reason to despair.

With it as my torch

I won’t go astray,

I will shine my way

And darkness shall run away!