Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Iwori

To walk into the past
while standing in the present
can cause old emotions
to bubble to the surface
of the murky lake you drowned them in
Concrete blocks
tied to insecurities
from a time when
kindness was rarely shown
by those around you
Chains loosened
fears float to the top
popping around you
air stagnant with the smell of adolescence
as you struggle to breathe
that putrid sense of not being
good enough filling your nostrils
until
eyes closed
you remember
who you are
how far you traveled
the worlds you’ve seen
the demons you’ve slain
then
silently
you walk away
releasing the past
only to think of your next adventure

----- written while listening to Bobby Scott's rendition of "nature boy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoTzR-Pp3VA