#bolafunmi

[vweta]

Broken

Once I saw a broken bird Not willing to mend her wings So I said; hey pretty bird Don't you want to sail the winds

And she sang with a soulful voice "I would love to fly again But this is a painful choice Cause I could get broken again"

Once I saw a broken bird Trying hard to fly again So I said; hey pretty bird Won't you get broken again

And she sang with a hopeful voice "I sure want to sail the winds I know it's a painful choice But I can always mend my wings"

By BolaFunmi

[simple1234]

Hi Funmi

[vweta]

No

No! I said No! Yea, you heard me! This time, I'm saying No!

I have always said Yes All of my life To fear, intimidation and oppression! I said yes to failure For I was told Success was beyond me

I never felt worthy Thanks to my dad Who wanted a male-child I was fashioned in timidity Grew up scurrying down the hall As his voice froze my dreams in fear

I welcomed fear, embraced angry tears Shame pushed down my throat Like an angry morsel For being me, a girl I swallowed myself I was made to be seen not heard

I grew up believing I had to be a copy To belong, Broke my bones into pulp To fit into molds Their molds I became the mat The jest Crawling around for crumbs All I ever wanted was acceptance

Turned my back to my pride Emptied myself and embraced them Inhaled toxic became toxic My identity was confused I ruined my name, my color Changed it a million times To fit, to become, Stood for nothing Fell for everything

But now, I have returned to my mind Even though I'm on wobbly legs Shaking voice In a concrete resolve I say NO! I have retraced myself To where it mattered To where I believed them and became naked I have returned to the thread that broke I have come to knit it back together To walk that path where I'm meant to be me To embrace my unique beauty And realise my buried dreams

I have come back To raise my voice To tell my story Not just to be heard But to silence the fear

So I say NO! To everything that says I'm less!

Poem by BolaFunmi, 2018