All around, I carry with me, an invisible tail
An African girl, silenced and frail.
Forced into quiet by abuse’s cruel hand,
A daughter unwanted in a patriarchal land.
In my veins, the echoes of discrimination flow,
The only girl, unwanted, they let it show.
A father’s desire, a son to behold,
In the silence they imposed, my song as of old.
Deprived of education, denied a chance to soar,
Unheard, as dreams hit the floor.
A clandestine journey through life’s bitter strife,
A girl condemned to an invisible life.
Behind closed doors, a world unseen,
Where hopes and aspirations were deemed unclean.
Relatives’ whispers, like venomous snakes,
Biting my spirit, leaving only heartaches.
In the quietude, I found strength to endure,
A resilient spirit, though obscured, mature.
Yet, the world remained oblivious to my pain,
An unseen existence, a relentless chain.
Through the years, I yearned to break free,
From the shackles of silence, to be who I could be.
A silent rebellion in my weary heart,
A quiet resolve to reclaim my part.
A visit to the mute African girl, invisible, unheard,
A cry of resilience in a silenced world.
May her voice echo with a blast
A testament to strength, breaking free at last.
© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi
2024
Ifedolapo Ogunniyi 