Standing Vertical

Die on her feet

A daunting feat

But she done did it

When she touched the forbidden

She’s ‘bout eighteen

Going on adrenaline

She had a fantasy

And when down believing

Earnestly

She kept her head up

Though they left her forgone

She couldn’t bear

And didn’t care

She’d rather dare

The devil and slay fear

Right here right now

Mister put me down

And book for the door

Cause my day will come

When men shall recall

The girl who couldn’t abide cowards.

Akpan

Day 30: One Nine Five

Photo Courtesy: Twitter: @biz-life lines

195!

Boko Haram your plot’s gone live.

I blew you out of the water

Might as well halt your mass slaughter.

Had to spread the message: ‘Pot is scum;’

So you blew up school kids in Potiskum,

Right?

So what’s the 411 on 195?

Could ‘5’ represent the month of May?

And the 19 be your anticipated doomsday?

Is your plan to copy the 1928 Mather Mine explosion?*

Where 195 miners out of 279 met their creator?

Gonna blow the 195 Chibok girls straight to oblivion?

Stage your final stand with rivers of innocent blood?

                                         

I know you’re up to something

And I don’t like sounding negative.

But I feel like I’ve done the math.

195 corresponds to, I think,

The sum total of NYC’s terror attacks

Since the incident of September eleven.**

They pitched the first Chibok escapees at fifty seven;***

That’s roughly the count of IED incidents in NYC.****

Did you plot the schoolgirls’ escape to begin with?

So you’ll give false hope to the many who believe?

But we’ll yield no quarter to defeat.

We are the champions of our destiny.

195

Would be the symbol of our triumphant fight.

Akpan

* The Mather Mine disaster refers to the events surrounding an explosion that occurred in the Mather Mine on May 19, 1928 in Mather, Pennsylvania.

** START’s Global Terrorism Data Base

*** Wikipedia

**** START’s Global Terrorism Data Base

Day 26: Champ

President Buhari (Nigeria) with the 21 released Chibok girls
Photo Courtesy: Sahara Reporters

Shudda killed me when you had your chance.

Now I’m the champion of my circumstance.

The horrors I pulled thro made me stronger.

Who’s talking surviving when I’m thriving?

Head held up high I’m goal minding;

I have been scorched but it refined me,

I’ve been pressed down but it bought me victory,

I got the rage of a mother bear,

And for me impossible is a dare.

Shudda taken that shot but no mo,

The dragon unleashed let passion flow.

My vision’s clearer, art of war mastered,

You made my skin thicker than leather.

My heart’s learned to battle the weather.

I waded in the flood, walked thro the fire,

I shudda died when you had your chance.

I’m a tougher girl forged by my desire,

Guess I got potential that works only in champs.

Akpan

Tightrope

For the Chibok Girls

Here I sit in my room alone but alone,

Tossed in mixed-up emotion’s throes,

Dying to live where your pain lives;

Breathless in anticipation of the impact

I want to hurt your hurt bring you release,

Trap the sunshine in a cup revamp your spark.

Tho I can’t read the scars on the skin of your heart

I’ll give anything for five minutes to play your part.

I wish I could trade an exhale for a million sighs;

Heave the tug of your burden shoulder high

Until I hear myself scream, ‘please, no more!’

Yet this much is true, no one can erase your worth.

Akpan

200

For the 200+ kidnapped Chibok girls.
And it's my birthday, today!

I ain't in a grave. I don't die.

And I know that what I know about myself eats you up inside.

It's simple logic yet, you can't visualize why I multiply

Beyond the grave. My balls is thicker than my waistline

And the last article of me you erase is this light of mine.

I ain't in the grave. I don't die.

Cause I know there's a spot in this universe only I can fill.

Purpose by design feeds my yenning for home.

My faith is so firm the fear of death don't frighten me.

And can't no incendiary bomb penetrate the walls of my hope.

I ain't in that grave. I don't die.

Everyday I rise above the drama you keep bringing;

Every pain I overcome boosts me up to brave the bleeding;

Every sunrise witnessed is good reason to keep breathing;

Every sunset I survive invites me to keep believing.

I ain't in no grave. I don't die.

Tell Mama, the grave cannot hold down your daughter's life,

Tell Papa, I still believe that one day, ama touch the sky,

Tell Nigeria, this lil’ light still got one more shine,

Tell the world, it's my metamorphosis, ama bust out a sweet butterfly.

But above all, tell everybody: Don't give up the fight;

I multiply beyond the grave. I don't die.

Akpan