He made love to sin on a Sabbath/ I am pouring my conception tale onto your eyes by Pacella Chukwuma-Eke

after reading Warsan shire's Your mother's first kiss

I saw Dante again…

I too, like you, heard the story 
from ma's childhood friend 
who wore dark clouds as tongue 
the one that leaked whenever
she kisses our doorstep.

Who's Dante?...

My plea was almost murdered
by ma's murderous  glare
at her friend's eyes; trying
to read my presence into those 
unconscious lips, or perhaps,
compel the rain threatening, to seize.

You shouldn't be here…

And so my ears were caged.
Or so they thought.
As they journeyed to the garden
in a bid to have a better view of the weather 
ma's friend held inside her mouth. 

Dante was/is a beast…

they talked, and talked,
and cursed the stranger who once visited
ma's temple on a holy day. Mother then
caressed her belly as though it had 
shape-shifted into my head and spat
more waters from her eyes. 

He's far from chains…

The last tense caused the second flood
and ma's body dangled for comfort 
on her friend's chest. As they prayed 
more curses onto the stray dog that 
always licked off Dante's misdeed. 

I saw Dante again…

And from the words i stole for my ears
and your eyes; 
My father is still an impenitent sinner
unknitting the dignity that girls harbored 
under their thighs. 

Biography

Chukwuma-Eke Pacella, NGP Xv, is a Nigerian poet. She is the winner of the cradle poetry contest, The FOW on-the-spot poetry contest and a two-time BKPW finalist. Her manuscript emerged 2nd place for the Nigerian Prize for Teen Authors Award.  Some of her works have appeared or are forthcoming on the Eunoia magazine, brittle paper, IHRAF, last leaves, teen lit journal, haven spec and elsewhere.  She is proudly a member of the HillTop Creative Arts Foundation. Some of her works can be found here; https://linktr.ee/chukwumaekepacella and she tweets @dancing_poet.