“The Origin of Kindness” by D.M. Aderibigbe

D.M. Aderibigbe

THE ORIGIN OF KINDNESS

for Lena Bezawork Gronlund

Untouched, she began to soak
her Maths textbook with her eyes.

The air of the afternoon, steam,
which rose from a pot of boiled water:

voices in the class, drenched in sweat. 
Yet, she shook like a curtain in the wind.

Yet, she covered her life with a cardigan.
Yet, she rubbed mentholated balm 

all over her discomfort. 
The entire class looked; eyes sold 

cheaply to confusion. 
Out of this pool of ignorance, 

a boy arose like a saviour. Planted 
this female fever on his back, 

stepped out of the class. Turned 
towards the school clinic. 

from Rattle #50, Winter 2015

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__________

D.M. Aderibigbe: “It was February 2012. I had just started writing seriously and was still not sure of where I was headed. Then I read poems from Natasha Trethewey and said to myself afterwards, I want to be a superhuman like this poet.”

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