I Am Here

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Standing so tall

Every inch, every curve

All here and present

Watch my braids

but do not touch

Have your fill

Do look and stare

As I dare to stand here

Proud as can be

Come celebrate me

Spirit, soul and body

Beauty to which

None compares

For these standards

I bear

I am here

Lovely Moments

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Falling in love, in this moment

In this moment, for the love of it

This is the moment, for all my facets to be seen

Beyond the colour of my skin, This is the moment

To celebrate the rainbow of possibilities in me

Loving this moment as a moment to love

For what better reason to love but for love itself

Dare I

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

I almost smiled

Is it okay to do so?

I do look nice

If I may say so

I'm almost jubilant

If rejoicing is an option

I peek a look in the mirror

Catch my kind of beauty

Tempted to flare my arm

Take up more space

In Glee and hope

Happiness is for

The likes of me

Stepping Out Of Time

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

I have been here

Way back through history

Seeking one to paint my story

All I did, in all its glory

My contributions to humanity

All there was, were vanishing shades

Painted into backgrounds of obscurity

The hand that holds the brush wavering

Scared by my overwhelming brilliance

I wielding the brush that depicts me

Stepping out of the shadows of obscurity

Behold the blinding light of my reality

Emerging in strokes bold and bright

Emanating the magnificence of my legacy

Black & Blue

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

I lay here in my black glory

I lay here kind of blue

Take a look, I am in full view

Alas my soul is not with you

Thoughts in search of who I am being

Breezing past who you purport me to be

Reckoning I should be happy for the chance

Being the centre of attention for your glance

But all I feel is kind of blue

Power Show

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

I see power in me

Power to be

Seen by lack of visibility

Evident in grace and splendour

Vibrant with life and vigour

I get why it can be scary to see

This specimen, full of melanin

Standing in full power

Lest it shows pale skin

As bland in comparison

Life In Me

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Dignity and swagger

Pride and style

Life tells its own story

Written in the wrinkles

Etched across my face

Setting the scene

For a cheerful grin

Try as you may

You won't take that

Away from me

Love We Hold

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

What we have

That we hold

Between these hands

There has been

Highs and lows

Been young and grown old

Seeing many a season

Weathered hot and cold

This life we chose

This love we hold

Between these hands

Shape Me

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Shape me, make me

Sitting in your chair

Here at your mercy

Shape me, mould me

Let others recognise me

Please remind me

My roots and origin

Saying it all with hair

I Belong

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Blink and blink again

Don't clear your eyes

You are not hypnotised

For the life I lived

For all I achieved

No less than humans like me

Get used to seeing this scene

I'll never fail to exist

I don't feel out of place

I belong here

Abode

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Abode

Where the soul is at ease

Abode

Where I find my peace

Abode

Where strivings cease

Abode

Where I need no defence

Abode

Where I and nature meet

Abode

Where I nurture and breed

Happy and calm in my Abode

Colour By Numbers

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

I'll colour me by numbers

Not like you coloured me

Pale and lacking intrigue

Bland and devoid of variety

Ignoring clear reality

I'll Colour me a rainbow

Beautiful, bold and brilliant

Black and awesomely radiant

Colours of every variant

That is the colour of me

All Of Me

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Here is all of me

Offered with no apology

Here is all of me

No ounce of shame in this

Here is all of me

You take it or leave it

Here is all of me

It's all I know to be

It Takes Two

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

It takes at least two

For such friendship to form

Right hand, left hand

Frontman, wingman

Meshing points of view

Joy and fun in the being

Flowing through

Flowing forth

Having each other's back

So glad that you are

All of the above and more