Israel Okonji is a factory worker. He doesnʼt work shifts — his work timing is linear. Prior to that, Israel has been a salesman, a teacher, a janitor, a cashier, & heʼs not forgetting he was a waiter, too. Regardless, he did none of these to support his writing. Writing was a pastime.

Before This Madness Tears Us Apart

to Robert Frederick Kenter

by Israel Okonji

I will swallow the gallop
protruding from the
flesh of my throat

suggesting thirst —
thirst for wrecking
my belly-worms with

the poison of a sentence:
I will not eat today.
maybe it is required of

the Lord, today.
a man, was
collected into a beacon.

into the backboard of
the boat he was sailing,
my body called it

home. it’s in your head,
he said as The Cranberries
required us to sing in-sync.

it may be unconventional
like a breath torching
a voice to find its way

out of a talk-box:
poetry sounds better with
music, he said.

I’ve sailed with this man
for five days now & he
asked that I’d be

thrown to the sea.
he chuckled. he
knew I’ll miss him.

Israel Okonji (He / Him) is a Southern Nigerian artist of poetry, storytelling, and music. He is published in Brittle Paper, Bruiser Magazine, Midsummer Magazine, Wasteland Review — and has poems forthcoming in Hiraeth Zine, and Querencia Pressʼ Quarterly Anthology. He listens to music ranging from Nas and the Wu-Tang Clan to Chris Brown and Alicia Keys. He hopes to fulfill his dream of collecting records like Craig Kallman. He has a special place in his heart for British actress Emma Watson and American singer/dancer Normani.

Twitter: @izrltrcz