They had all gathered
But the thought of it first
Filtered into her; Aisha sat dazed
The day approached slowly
When she would tie the knot
With her heartthrob; Danladi.
All in the heart of Northern sun,
There, stood Aisha astride the pestering,
Sheer and the flourishing of her people.
Oh, yes, tomorrow would arrive soon
When we would be pronounced man
And woman; her eyes blinked.
Together Aisha and Danladi
Savoured the blistering sneeze
Breezy wind, scorched with hope.
Just hours away, then the hoodlums
Struck as they stirred the
Family arena: guns in the air.
‘Hands up!’ all you brute, they
Bellowed, pumping bullets into the crowd
‘we’re the boko, there’s haram
Everywhere in this land. Hands
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Off Western education or be
Eternally damned. We are the
Liberators – ah militants, harbingers
Of death’ Boom! boom!! boom!!!
And down fell Aisha; Now
Danladi made a run for it
As fear spread far afield.
Felled by bullets in torrents
Danladi stuttered in the depth of
Violence, gripping his stomach.
There was no more tomorrow
Alas, the wedding held no more.
Who would cry with me in this
Fraction of hate buried in the land?
In a land of bullets and bloods!