Bird of Paradise

Artwork by Irina Bara

I didn’t know you before

Navigating clouds of paradise

My lover’s name

The way I spell it ‘without feet’

It rhymes with soft waft

Underneath my wings

Keep vanity’s hands off,

The Bird of Paradise

Here’s the flame of affections

The chill of lonesome spirit

Humming through the chimney pathways

Illogically pretty (in Ngozi’ echo)

Your soul; old as ‘Thousand Hills’

Yet wise and beauteous, knows my fate

But (n)one of my faces,

And thus my heart, fell for nobody

Apparently nobody

But you, the Bird of my Paradise

In my muse I hearken to your songs

Roaming in the skies of my hut

In between glistening stars

My soul tails after you, gay and athirst

For the handsome wreath of halo behind your smile

Shadows the Goddess of beauty

Eventide, right before graceful slumber

I get caught in downpour of emotions

I but foretell

For the courage to reign shrank with the ages

Untiring ages, soul-prickers

Frap me with your wings, dear Bird of Paradise