Morning's Salute Poem by Onyi Ogwumike

Past the blood that slowly freezes in my veins.
Past the mindless voices that explode into the frosty air in great swirls of vaporous life.
Peeks at me, the waking Sun.
Extends their hands, does the angel’s smiles.
Breathing sweet hellos does the clouds,
As they sluggishly roll across vast blue plains.
Yet,
Rejecting them all,
I obediently file into my small cage.
Why?
Because in the corner,
Sits the hope of my nations.
I pass a smile to him through these bars,
And while Time etches on,
Stealing the free youth from my soul.
For that moment,
My smile sits,
Cupped in the hands of Hope.
So I endure,
And the Sun, the clouds, the sky…
They can wait.