The Ibadan malimbe is a species of bird endemic to Nigeria. First discovered in the 1950s, it has now become rare due to forest clearing. As you’ll come to find in this poem, the vanishing malimbe bird is just a metaphor for those who are forced to leave home to settle in a place they may never fully know. At the end of the day, how can one truly know what they weren’t born of?
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First, we’re close to roots
Now we’re not
First, it’s an easy walk to favourite meals
Now it’s not
First, we’re with mothers and fathers and aunties
Now we’re not
Now, we’re sitting in a new home
But it is not homeland
We’re dancing to a new tune
But it is not heartbeat
We speak a new language
But with tongue locks
And mouth twists
And clicking teeth
We’re slipping into new body of water
Salty, Tingy,
Cold
How we miss home’s warmth!
How we have escaped its fangs
How we long for familiarity!
How our bodies adjust
