Suddenly…

Between the first
and the second thoughts
she stands at the horned
route to life and death
unknown…

is she weighing
the hefty conclusions?
is she counting the bits and pits
in all the seven-dimensional details?
or has the haze of the moment
deadened her to what is possible?

suddenly she hears
the cold, cutting voices
cut on rocks and roll away
echoing through the
hollow chambers of
hasty justice

she has scaled the defence,
crossed the questions
and roused the volcanoes
they say
she must carry the weight
of her ways
there’s no dream
too young to die!

Sumaila Umaisha a novelist, poet and journalist based in Nigeria. Read other articles by Sumaila.