Amphibians

By Jide Badmus

Wednesday morning,
I needed Noah’s boat
to navigate Bank road.
I didn’t know Ikoyi too
could be this vulnerable
when it rains.
Some days, we are fishes
floating in dry aquariums,
enthusiasts, drowning
in saltwater ambitions.
Other days, we are
luxury pigs, comfy
in the murk.
Big fish, big pond, big pillows…
Big hippos are a butcher’s delight.
So, we learn to be sleek as snakes,
slip through fishnets.
We wear the skins of crocs
& fit dreams with fins & gills,
teach hope to be submarine…

BIO:
Jide Badmus is an engineer, a poet inspired by beauty and destruction; he believes that things in ruins were once beautiful.
He is the author of four books including Obaluaye (FlowerSong Press, 2022) and What Do I Call My Love for Your Body (Roaring Lion Newcastle, 2022).
He is founder of INKspiredNG, Poetry Editor for Con-scio Magazine, a mentor in the SprinNG Fellowship, and sits on the board of advisors for Libretto Magazine.