semi-sweet

by Oluchi Okafor

while I pray ladybugs land on white painted toes 

to connect dots of longevity and good fortune over your journey

tell me about gardens that transcend botanical wonderlands 

while we taste semi-sweet in stained glass on nighttime-dark-green covered hills.

let us consume liquid courage until we walk sideways

on sidewalks

and chase the night till it tells us to stop.

I am not interested in the fundamentals of balance today

instead teach me principle when the sun wakes up 

and my yearning finds inexplicable reason to dance in the darkness again.

Oluchi Okafor (they/them) is a queer writer, poet, and creative from Lagos, Nigeria. Oluchi explores relationships, community, and queerness in their creative, literary approach. They enjoy music, manga, and fashion when they are not romanticizing their life through poetry. This is Oluchi’s first submission to a literary magazine. Check out more here.