Naija Poetry | To Kill a Roach

Seyi Ojenike

Biography: ‎SEYI OJENIKE is a poet who finds creative inspiration in his rich Yoruba heritage. Shaped by literary giants Wole Soyinka and Niyi Osundare, his poetic voice resonates in his contribution to the book "Things Fall Apart: The Centre Cannot Hold," a collaborative work between the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria commemorating W. B. Yeats' Nobel Prize centenary.

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Seyi Ojenike

Saturday 3 June 2023

To Kill a Roach

In the shadows of the fading light,

In the dead of night, a threat appears.

With its wings spread, it takes flight,

As a sense of fear develops, my heart races.

A fluttering roach, the offspring of terror,

Invaded my peace by grabbing my focus to itself.

I hold onto my broom with shaking hands.

ready to confront imminent disaster.

My heart beats like an agitated drum from inside me,

Rapidly and fearfully.

As I move cautiously closer,

Every thump echoes with a sense of dread.

I battle against fright with every swat

And frantic swing of my shivering body.

To release myself from this threat,

I made a passionate plea in the form of a primitive dance.

The zigzag flight of that disgusting bug,

Even so, is a frantic joke.

My heart races as a result of my fear

It is so close as I chase it, my pulse racing.

After the final blow, which landed with a loud thud,

I overcame my dread of this foul thing.

Yet, my heart continues to race.

A proof of the horror that was real.

In spite of my doubt,

There was a sigh of relief and a win thereafter.

The roach is no longer there,

But its memory is

The sound of fear's refrains

Is indelibly etched in my heart.

To kill a roach, a battle fought,

A melody of beating hearts and unexpected horror.

My strength was put to the test in this conquest,

My heart stopped as I tried to confront the dread.

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