…His Bone Cord

A lesson taught;

To remain still at HIS

Blood-bled cross, peering

Deeply, sprightly into the consuming

Darkness and desecrating Locusts,

For these parlous things

Who come benign

In drape tongues to smudge and

Extirpate Jesus’ submitting Sheep,

Tendered

By

This Only Lamb-canopy of the

Sun scorched souls standing

Emaciated on burning sands

To admit in devotion bow,

Bounded

To HIS bone-cord of never ceasing

Grace.

 

 

The Lord Stand’s With You

(for Palesa Masimene)
The Lord stand’s with you

In this dark world and wide,

Embracing you ardently seated

At HIS foothold. Young hue youth

Of morning dew.

 

While wounded bare-foot below

Your sole,

Herald HIS balming therapy herbs

That brings healing and salubrity.

Not the old ragged torn,

Nor the filthy garbages of night,

Nor the shivery shoulders

Of grubby men,

Who chide and depride you

Of life’s striped rainbow and sparkling

Wine bringing repose and ranks

To your dried torched tongue.

 

The Lord stand’s with you

In this dark world and wide,

Embracing you ardently seated

At HIS foothold. Young hue youth

Of morning dew.

 

Biography:

Francis Annagu have been published or forthcoming on Galway Review, Potomac Review, Ayiba Magazine, Ann Arbo Review, Kalahari Review, Dead Snakes, Bewildering Stories, Lunaris Review, The Poet Community, Tuck Magazine, PIN, Sunflower Collective, Ancient Path Literary Journal, Novel Afrique, Commonline Journal and others. He lives in Kaduna, Nigeria where he is working on his first poetry book.