Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, abandonment, journey, Love, prose poems, reflections

#52essays: You Are Not Mine to Keep

I ready myself because I know you will leave eventually. I don't usually sit still and do nothing because the demons, they haunt me then. So a couple times, I jump up and suggest we do an activity, but you are content with talking, being with me, just taking it all in. You tell me … Continue reading #52essays: You Are Not Mine to Keep

Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, doctors, doctors, faith, grief, journey, medication, Mental Dis-Ease, reflections

I DON’T GOT THIS!

I've been diagnosed with a debilitating disease that is progressive and chronic and has no cure as of yet. I am in Week 2 of when the symptoms first appeared although at this point after going through my medical history, other symptoms have been manifesting all along; this was just a defining one. I posted … Continue reading I DON’T GOT THIS!

Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, grief, prose poems, reflections

#52essays: The Scabs

My sister got married today. She asked me to pour the ceremonial libation which is an integral part of any auspicious gathering in our culture, at the reception dinner. I positioned myself and steadied the plant that would be the recipient, my voice and hands shook as I juggled the mic and calabash. As I … Continue reading #52essays: The Scabs

Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections

#54essays: Butterscotch

"Even when I'm happy, there is a something between me and whatever good news comes my way. It's like eating a butterscotch still sealed in the wrapper." This one, made me take a pen to write it down. It seemed to describe the ravages of mental illness very well. There is almost always a fear about being and feeling completely at ease in a happy thought or in something pleasant that happens to you. It's even worse when you are caught in the throes of a particularly bad stroke of luck and life seems to be playing a sick joke on you. You are staring at a bowl of butterscotch candy and when you touch one, you find out they are all just wrappers. At this moment I can't see the forest for the trees.

Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, reflections

#52essays: Keep On Keeping On

"Money comes and goes but you live through food." Fetlework Tefferi says to Carolyn Jung in Spice Genius, an article in Eating Well (jan/feb 2018 edition). I was sitting in my chiropractor's office waiting to be called when I picked up the magazine.