Haneefah Bello
The man
We found him in an embrace
with the ceiling,
body bent that way like a mutiny.
All is fair in love and war.
All was fair
when he washed ashore as a
seashell
bearing lacerations of a former
salty life.
A Jonah, whole again.
Inhaled enough seaweed in his gills
to buoy him into the sun.
That skin, until it caught fire
& all that was left was anthracite
stillness.
His body bleeds the sound of
fossils singing a dirge,
faint applause, tongue leaking
saltwater.
Cut him down, hush. Now,
a prayer.
Pay close attention to our lips
stumbling across overgrown
pikes.
We sound like dogs dying a blue death.
with the ceiling,
body bent that way like a mutiny.
All is fair in love and war.
All was fair
when he washed ashore as a
seashell
bearing lacerations of a former
salty life.
A Jonah, whole again.
Inhaled enough seaweed in his gills
to buoy him into the sun.
That skin, until it caught fire
& all that was left was anthracite
stillness.
His body bleeds the sound of
fossils singing a dirge,
faint applause, tongue leaking
saltwater.
Cut him down, hush. Now,
a prayer.
Pay close attention to our lips
stumbling across overgrown
pikes.
We sound like dogs dying a blue death.
Commentary
Haneefah on "The man":
I've always questioned how we, human beings, react to issues regarding suicide and depression when we're not the ones experiencing it. This poem, too is a question. In it, I have tried to be a witness, recording our typical reaction to suicide; we're sad it happened, we say a prayer for his dear soul, but we wonder what went wrong when we've been the ones ignoring or justifying his depression and all the signs all along. But what has happened has happened, so all our wondering and finger-biting is pointless.
I've always questioned how we, human beings, react to issues regarding suicide and depression when we're not the ones experiencing it. This poem, too is a question. In it, I have tried to be a witness, recording our typical reaction to suicide; we're sad it happened, we say a prayer for his dear soul, but we wonder what went wrong when we've been the ones ignoring or justifying his depression and all the signs all along. But what has happened has happened, so all our wondering and finger-biting is pointless.
Biography
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Haneefah Bello (she/her) is a Nigerian poet who is currently obtaining a degree in law. Her works have appeared in Nantygreens, Ripostes of Locked Down Voices anthology and Praxis Magazine. She is @HaneefahBello on Twitter and @ha_neefahh on Instagram
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