When I close my eyes,
I remember the bright city heat, pressing against the knuckles of my searching toes and squinting brow.
I remember kind strangers and brave adventure, the beauty and revelation of dirty drums found deep inside of me
and the knowing that my heart’s hand had always rested its palm against their homesick skins.

I remember non-vegetarian pepper soups month long rain storms lullabies
and sleepy traffic thick with hot metal bodies and impromptu window snacks. I sigh.
Stroking through a sea of distant horns and agile bodies that karim between cars hurling both barter and abuse. Unassuming street side glamour, heavy hipped women in red and gold.

A body of water full of reeds and houses on sticks expands under a concrete stretch to Victoria Island.
I remember being told to pronounce Yoruba with my mouth wide open and to shine my eye.
The fake tears of Nollywood flicks, the fierce intellect and ambition that spat in the face of stereotype.
The sighting of East African backsides, that saw me too.

I remember hungry boys pouncing on car windows and I remember looking away.
Market fish and soft leather, red carpets and white teeth.
Pastel parasols and the unexpected majesty of rough beach horses.
I remember sweaty night beats, brash rhymes and bottle service.
Boats clubs and chivalry.
Strong hearted men with oil coloured wealth
and dizzying tropical nights illuminated by generator hums and a sharp angled breeze
that begged me to taste the mouth of the ocean if I momentarily opened my own.

I remember hurting people with my westernisms and not knowing how to fix it.
I remember writing sound and word while sitting on top of houses and underneath almond trees.
I remember when the mosquitoes stopped remembering to bite me.
The quiet rejoice for stable electricity and clean water.
The finding of love and the letting it go.
Tears and melancholy. Magic and serendipity.
Deep joy and rebirth.
The soft breath of angels that whispered to me while I dreamt on top of hard mattresses
and danced under sunsets that startle you.

Champagne anyone?

-Lyrics from ‘Shine Your Eye’ by Somi, an excellent songwriter (Check her out on Youtube & Insta @somimusic).

THANK YOU @niconugo who wrote the lyrics on her Insta. (I got this off her page).