The Explosion
The purposeless and bored spermatozoa
Let’s call him Champion
Or do you have a better name for one that wins in a race
involving millions of others when he is not even striving to win?
Well, Champion is swimming leisurely up the smooth,
lubricated tunnel in the company of so many others
“It feels good to be free”, Champion observes to himself,
“after being imprisoned so long in a scrawny sack that jiggles and rocks all
the time”
He groans, “in there you can’t even take a nap when you feel
like it
Oga at the Top Can
break into a sprint at any moment
Chasing anything from a bus, a basket ball, to a coin that
is rolling toward the open drain”
Champion takes a minute to survey his environment
He looks around and wonders why the others are swimming past
in such frenzy
It’s warm and cozy in here, and it feels safe. No need to hurry,
Champion thinks
As he reminisces on the beauty of the tunnel
Unaware of the explosion he is about to cause in the life of
Lola
Champion is attracted by the sweet scent from the egg
(Lovelyn) and suddenly picks up speed and bumps into the innocent-looking round
ball
Taking an afternoon nap in 15 -year-old Lola’s tubes
“What?” Champion exclaims in disgust
when he finds himself stuck head first into the tiny,
sweet-scenting Lovelyn,
He manages to twist left and right and sees a number of his
peers, apparently in this disgusting situation
“What the ….”, he exclaims as he struggles to detach himself
As Tunde rolls of Lola,
she struggles shyly to cover her breast
A cheeky nipple peeping through her black lacy bra that Mama
bought last week
At the same time she struggles to pull on her panties
Feeling so terribly embarrassed
What on earth is she doing in this room with Tunde?
She never meant for any of this to happen
When Tunde asked her up to his room to get a belated
birthday gift
She was reluctant because Mama did not even know
She was attending the party at Tunde’s house
She told Mama she was with Judith working on her Maths
assignment
Perhaps, just perhaps, because it was her first time, she
would not get pregnant
She crossed her fingers
She buttoned her blouse, her fingers so shaky she could not
find the holes
Fear clutched at her heartstrings as if to yank them out
She straightened out the creases on her skirt
Sobs rising from the centre of her being to choke her
She could hear Papa’s voice: “If you bring pregnancy to this
house, I will kill you with my bare hands”
This was when Mama told him Lola had started menstruating
Mama warned her that if she messed around with boys
She would surely get pregnant
She went down the stairs
Her eyes searching for Tunde in the crowded room
He was in deep conversation with another girl from school
Lola’s heart sank.
Oga at the Top is a Nigerian coinage that means “the big boss”
Get Real
Don’t say, “I do”
When you mean, “I hope that you remain hot in bed” and
“you won’t get as fat as
your Mama is now”
Don’t say, “I do”
When all you are thinking is:
I hope she bears me strong sons and not fill the house
With girl-children
Don’t say, “I do”
When what you mean to say is
“I hope you will not whack me
blacken my eye like
Papa did to Mama
Over ordinary chop-money”
Don’t say “I do”
When all you are thinking is
“I hope you are not after my money like my ex
I am older and wiser
You won’t get a penny”
Don’t say “I do”
When in your heart
you are rejoicing saying:
“I got me a meal ticket, a roof over my head
And a chauffeur-driven car at no cost”
Don’t say “I love you”
When what you mean to say is
“Thank God, I have a whore
cook, cleaner, and laundrywoman in one package
and I don’t have to pay a dime for any of these services”
Don’t say “I love you”
When in your heart you are yelling
“Get up off me, you insensitive, impudent wimp
You turn me on
As much as a piece of wood would
Don’t say “I love you”
When all you want to say is:
“You bore me to death
You are nowhere as exciting as
June, Janet or Julia”
Make love that is
loving
Breathe, live, enjoy, reach out
The truth sets you free!
Inspired by the line- "Make love that is
loving" from "The Seven Of Pentacles" by Marge Piercy
