As a mom..
you always need to be prepared
As a mom ..
you need to make sure your expressions are well read.
As a mom ..
you need your baby well fed.
As a mom..
lack of tissues is a subject of dread.
As a mom..
less is always more said.

The plaster pulls the skin
my colour, my moles
and careful make-up
from my face

red
living flesh
looking eyes
expressive lips, my mouth
smiling at you

And you scan my mask
three-dimensionally, you hang
a field of registration points
on the red markings
at my eyes, nose, and chin

You trace back the dots
to feelings, then you look
at me, understandingly
From the void
of my eyes and mouth

the black holes
in the information
I try to express
what you can't see
Still, they don't show anything

Tell me,
How does one put thoughts into words?
How do you say exactly what you think
Without a fear for what comes afterwards?
And then blink,
Like its no big deal
Like your heart doesn't beat really fast
Like mine does,
Even though it'll never last.
...

If only I could
Say all the things I should
Then I will,
And leave you with the pill.
...

Teach me,
Assume all my thoughts are unclean
And you have all my attention
Is there a manual to follow?
Or words to borrow?
I need your instruction
'cause now I have a box
Full of things I wanna say
But always tomorrow,  never today
I pray I'll be brave,
before I reach my grave.
...

If only I could
Say the things I really mean,
And **** the things that'll never be
And just be me?
...

Show me,
The expression of things in my heart
And how to stop this free-flow of shooting darts
And tell me I'm not mad
For as I lay here,  it all seems hard
And now I'm sad
Please help me,  I cry out
Please show me,  I need a way out
...

If only I could
Share with you, matters of the heart
Then I will tell you what I should
That love for you fills this once empty heart.
...

If only I could,
I'd just say: I love you.

© 2018 Busola S. Kolade

(A Psalm of Worship.)

My heart is prepared
To worship God:
I will kiss the Lord
And sing unto him.

I will speak of his goodness
From dawn to twilight
And follow his excellent way.
I will meditate
Throughout the night
And seek him at midday.
My longing heart shall,
Reverently and humbly,
Bask in his presence.
Upon my Lord,
I will pour praise.

(Meditative Psalm: quest for total surrender.)

I beheld the wind, blowing upon
The grass of the field.
Leaves swayed under the power
Of its influence.

The flowers danced
As the grass dazzled—
Its blades shimmering in the light.
That which was dormant
Had suddenly come to life.

O Lord, breathe upon me
The breath of your holy Spirit.
Quicken me, and possess my being
That, in harmony, I might sway
To the power of your perfect will.

(Ballad: exhortation to praise God.)

Extol the Lord Most High,
Let his praises ring.
Throughout all the earth,
Exalt his lovely name.
Embrace His purity,
And testify his fame
From the rising of the sun
To the setting of the same.

(A Nostalgic Psalm: the power of God.)

O God, manifest yourself
That men might see,
And marvel, and wonder.
You spoke the worlds into existence,
And separated night from day.
Placed the elements in the skies
And created man in a wonderful way.
Bring back the ancient miracles
Like when you parted the sea
And delivered Israel en masse—
Mightily setting them free.

You provided in the wilderness,
Filled the temple with your glory,
And spoke from the darkness of Sinai;
What an awesome story.

Show, again, your sovereign power
That your strength be known,
And men might truly realize
That you are God alone.