To The Land Of No Return | Obagha Chiamaka

Tenaciously clinging to the life that struggled to seep out of him,
Uncle fought viciously,
Proving the aura of vigour he exuded in the days of his youth,
Constantly escaping his back touching the ground by a hair's breadth,

This battle, I knew was inevitable,
I knew that he would have had to kick that bucket someday,
What I didn't know was why he kicked it all of a sudden,
What I never imagined was an abhorred reality like this,

We stood agape when we saw the defeat that day's noon,
I sat lifeless behind my dorm door when I heard the ugly news,
I had no idea Uncle was drifting off to the other side,
I was busy musing my planned visit the moment I finished highschool,

Uncle couldn't wait, Uncle answered the call,
Uncle gave up but not on a will of his,
Death drew out a sword while Uncle drew his last breath,
I hadn't seen Uncle in 5 years, now I won't see Uncle forever,

There would be no once more, no last time,
A fact I have stubbornly refused to embrace,
No last encounter, the warm embrace and weary smile,
Yet I stood helplessly, tearfully watching Uncle being locked away,

In a coffin that could never contain his impact on the world, my world,
Zoned out to a depth I hated to behold,
Covered with the humus soil him and his ancestors used to tread on,
Uncle was made a prisoner of the earth,

Is that an epitaph I see by his head side?
Are those flowers stationed at his foot?
Not flowers as colorful as the rainbow,
But flowers with petals clothed in grief and dark sorrow,

Did you ever smile while crying because you wanted to be strong for the one you love,
But heaviness of heart betrayed you?
I still sit all by myself, missing your fatherly figure,
Struggling to swallow the lump of bitterness in my throat,

Often having illusions where you wave the goodbye you never said to me,
Praying for your soul albeit asking God to return you to us,
Weeping and wishing that day never came,
Alas, I could make every second of every minute of every hour of the day count,

When will I see you again?
You really didn't have to go,
Remember you are still our hero,
Dear Uncle.

Poet's note: I don't think there's ever a time a read or reviewed this poem without a single teardrop falling from my eye. I find it emotionally challenging to analyze this poem to any audience because I have to mask an outburst of emotion that ordinarily I would not if I were reading it to myself. This poem seeks to express a feeling of deep grief, pain that cannot be explained. In my opinion, this poem isn't enough justice to express grief because really words aren't always enough. I lost my uncle in 2021. It was a tough time for me and our entire family. If left alone, I was almost sure to breakdown. On hearing his demise, I was in so much disbelief. I still am but this is reality. I still remember the day I wrote this poem, sitting outside all by myself. I had earlier cried out my eyes in the day's morning. I was trying to hide but my dad found me. My uncle is his immediate elder brother. I could see pain in his eyes but he was strong enough to console me, urging me to keep praying for uncle's soul. It still hurts, so bad. This poem means everything to me. It's a memory of uncle that I can cling on to.