Breathless



I can't breathe
When I sniff the aroma
Of wild wild winds
Blowing dusts and danger
Edging towards South

I can't breathe
When I smell the herds
Crawling down the hill
Up rooting cassava stems
With bloom leaves
Creeping up the sun

I can't breathe
When the bush path
Is covered in shrubs
Brushing the feet
With imprints of mud

I can't breathe
When my brothers come
Dug a deep hole
To lay me before my time

I can't breathe
When the night comes
With whispers of cymbals
Appearing like daylight
In a dark tunnel

I can't breathe
When vampires move
In stealthy steps
Of a fiendish mien...
I just can't breathe

About this poem

"Breathless" is a poem that deploys the refrain of "I can't breathe" as said by slain George Floyd to depict dispair and disillusionment in life - as a protest poetry against injustice, racism and bigotry in the society using a plethora of African local imagery to transmit a message of hope and defiance!

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Written on July 07, 2020

Submitted by mozimoamas on September 23, 2022

Modified on March 05, 2023

38 sec read
1

Quick analysis:

Scheme Axxxx Axxxxx Axxxx Axxx Axxxx Axxxa
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 609
Words 121
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 5, 6, 5, 4, 5, 5

Amatareotubo Mozimo

Amatareotubo Mozimo is a Nigerian poet and culture curator with a knack for literary appreciation. He is author of a poetry collection titled" Dirty Brooms. It contains satirical poetry that reflects the bizarre actions of nigerian, nay, African political class more…

All Amatareotubo Mozimo poems | Amatareotubo Mozimo Books

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    "Breathless" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/139130/breathless>.

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