Hi hii, 20s

The moment I've always hoped for,

The moment I can genuinely feel grown and sure.

Haha, silly me— how naive!

As much as I strive to grow and be strong,

Adulthood’s claws keep lunging at me.

Is this what I once looked forward to?

Bills! Anxiety! Societal expectations!

The time between my sweet sixteen and big twenty-one,

Fleeting fast, yet never undone.

So many bittersweet memories remain,

Shaping my very person.

Many peers discouraged, tired, and lost,

Some wayward, indifferent.

The fire of our youth, toyed with and restrained,

By the very ones meant to protect our flames.

May 29, 2023—a day marked on my calendar,

The day Nigerians began to eat from the devil's cooking pot.

Spoonful by spoonful, forced to consume,

Until our bellies won't contain such a horrendous meal.

Hi hii, 20s—the years that decide,

Our future paths, where dreams reside.

May God lead us, strong and true,

To make wise choices and see them through.

Salem.