Poetry


[ P O E T R Y ]

 
 
 

 

I Have Come to See God’s Face


 

 


men came in boxes

I left people in the house,

I have come to see God.

I was here in the morning,

a man will cut-off my tongue

today in the night.

I’ll lift my eye

to follow up with his step

into God’s room.

close the door behind you

and let him wake me

on the forehead.

today the rains will wet me the sand.

a man, fish-like 

will score me today,

I’ll not rip off the page,

nor will I seize away his pen.

in the sea like starfishes,

I’ll rub my tummy on the floor,

my braids will be made

 

Zakiyyah Dzukogi is the author of Carved (a poetry collection) and is the winner of the 2021 Nigeria Prize for Teen Authors, winning second place in 2020. She is the winner of the Brigitte Poirson Poetry Prize, 2021, as well as the Splendors of Dawn Poetry Prize, 2019. Her work is published in Upwrite Nigeria, Artmosterrific, The Nigeria Review, INNSAEI Journal, Konya Shamsrumi, Literature Voices, Book o clock, Corona Blues, Poetry Tuesday, Heartlinks Magazine, Paradise on Earth International Anthology vol I and II, Of Shadows and Rainbow, Piamvoices, Melbourne Culture Corner, Olney Magazine, Sledgehammer, The Beatnik Cowboy, Warp 10 lit, Kalahari Review, Ninshar Arts, Rigorous, Saltcitruszine, Ghost City Review, Cafe Au Lait Magazine, and others.


 
Zakiyyah Dzukogi