This Queer Little Girl

Abstract

Sometimes
This queer little girl in me
Looks out through my eyes and
Wonders where the world went in her absence
She sees the creases and the frowns
She sees the weighty bags under the eyes
She sees the fear; the constant fear
And the biting of nails in worrisome consternation
And the shouldering of responsibilities not quite hers
You see this queer little girl
She loves fancies
Fancy little things that mean everything and mean nothing
Fancy places
Little towns with bright red lights
Slim slender beauties with exotic apparels and posh shoes
The quietness of solitude
The listening in the telling
The fancy of everything in nothing
And the beauty in everything of everything
Understand my vanity, I beg of you
Understand my vainness please
And then you'd see that this queer little girl
Just wants to live, just wants to breathe
Understand my vanity, I beg of you
Understand my vainness please
And then maybe you'd see that
Age is just a senseless number
And am not that old.
~~~Ijeoma Anyachebelu (nee Emelumadu) is a lecturer in the Department of English Language and Literature, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. She is a mother of two and she loves eternal youth and wellness. Email: [email protected].