Ezekiel 37 by Tolu Agbelusi

31 Days of Poetry: Day Eight. This one was always going to be shared with you and today felt like a good day to do just that...

For the month of August I’ll be participating in The Sealey Challenge and attempting to read a book of poetry every day (or at least a poem or two), and every day I’ll be sharing a poem with you. If poetry isn’t your thing, a month isn’t too long a time, I promise. But, if it is something you enjoy, I hope this series affords you an opportunity to discover some new favourites or revisit some old ones.

Today’s offering is ‘Ezekiel 37’ by poet, playwright and educator, Tolu Agbelusi, taken from her collection, ‘Locating Strongwoman’, which was published in 2020 by Jacaranda Books.

---

Ezekiel 37

Bones convalescing in a shallow grave
rattle alive when the alarm sings
I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten
I am not forgotten, God knows my name.

I pull on a black tailored dress,
leather seamed to tell everyone
(including myself)
I didn't come to play.

Days like this demand strong lipstick.
Fenty's Griselda from the customised
gift box marked "armour for heavy days".

If I'm lucky, a sister will smile arms around
me on my commute, hold my gaze
long enough to make certain I feel seen.

Memory will lend me a strut, instruct
my feet—move too fast to stop, to think,
to collapse, to fall out. This is the dance.

When a shiver threatens
my delicate balance,
I will return

to the affirmation of waking moments,
random voice notes from praying sisters
who, sensing what I haven't uttered, urge:

wholeness will find its way back to your breath,
whatever is broken in you will heal, you will
remember who you are, until then, you will not
carry your bones alone.

---

There are a few poetry collections I very much consider comfort collections— I have such positive associations with them, I know where to find the poems and the lines I need to read when I need to read them, I love gifting them, I recommend them often and, on days like today, when I don’t think I’ll be able to give something new its due, I can happily turn to them.

This entire collection is a reminder that we do not have to endure life’s hardships alone, and that there is so much strength in our refusal to do so.

For anyone who needs to hear it again:

'...wholeness will find its way back to your breath,
whatever is broken in you will heal, you will
remember who you are, until then, you will not
carry your bones alone.'

---

See you on day nine,

Tasnim