Uche Ogbuji VERSE-VIRTUAL 2016 November

November 2016

I was born in Calabar, Nigeria and lived, among other places, in Egypt and England before settling near Boulder, Colorado with my wife and four children. I'm a computer engineer by trade, but poetry is my passion. My chapbook, Ndewo, Colorado is a Colorado Book Award Winner. In my spare time I snowboard, coach and play soccer, and train in American Kenpo. I am also an editor at Kin Poetry Journal. A selection of my poems was included in the Best New African Poets 2015 anthology.

Obscured Sunshine

O darkling core, O brilliant fringe,
As since these days of missing you
Have brought me sunset less its tinge
Of fire, a darkened vault above
Without its twinklers; creeping through
My mind a hush, recalling love.

But burning bright upon the edge,
These recollections, deasil ghosts:
Our smiles both joined—a kiss; like sedge
In-stream my prickles smoothed, my care
Submerged in draught of verse to toast
Your swagger, laugh, or floating hair;

Irreverent moments poking fun
At Kenpo comrades; Naughty stops
By church, or park. My graceful sun
Is never doused in clouds, but sparks
Silver of nun's habit hem, the drops
Gilt in dream-bright eclipse of dark.

First published in Lavender Review

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