"The Talking Night", Poem by Saadatu Uzairu

The poet demonstrates a mature poetic voice with a strong command of metaphor, rhythm, and emotional depth.

The poet demonstrates a mature poetic voice with a strong command of metaphor, rhythm, and emotional depth. Her style and control reminds of Louise Glück. Her poem speaks with psychological precision and vulnerability, making them both artistic and cathartic. 

THE TALKING NIGHT

The night gurgled vowels

Moon all snarled in barbed clouds,

Stars blinking like dying lightbulbs.

I sank.

Not into sleep,

But the cracked jaw of reverie

Her mouth open,

Whispers chalking the walls:

“you are more mirror than man.”

She held my face—no, she held my fractured mirror

In her hands

Her breath smelled like burned letters.

My thoughts, moths in her throat.

When she said:

“haven’t you touched your inner skin?”

I peeled.

No blood. Only noise.

And the Worry blinked,

Smiled like it knew me.

Poet

Saadatu Uzairu is a Nigerian writer, poet, tech enthusiast, and farmer from Adamawa State. A graduate of Newgate College Of Health Technology, Minna, her work appears in Brittle Paper, Words Rhymes and Rhythm, Literary Cocktail Magazine Anthology, Afrocritik, and elsewhere. She currently resides in Minna, Niger State.