PARANOIA

by Lukpata Lomba Joseph

What smidgen of thought
Propagates in this wide helix,
Whirling and birthing spiral envelopes
With all reason in its service?
What infinitesimal impression,
Sits with honour at the pivot
Of this growing gyre?
Last night’s dream led the way,
Where your bones were crushed in a wrecking Sienna;
Then the age long myth behind dreams crept in,
Then a baritone voice burst in:
“Could this be a revelation?”
And the widening helix terminates
At the pastor’s last chats from the holy writs,
It was a sermon on dreams,
“Dreams are fore-scenes of reality,” he said
Then paranoia gave a wide grin,
As your trip to Lagos beach was cancelled.
Even as you ponder over the mystery of dreams,
Another smidgen of thought deigns to visit
in company of thoughts,
The sore on your throat is the first to peep,
Then a reminder in the tsunami of outcrops on your pubis.
The gyre is broadened by a thought of the weekly malaria,
Then an echo of Dr. Smith’s last talk on radio,
Makes it writ large,
“Frequent malaria is a sign of weak immunity,
Weak immunity is a sign of HIV infection.”
Then paranoia gave a wide grin,
As you ran a retroviral test in your mind’s lab.

About the author…

Lukpata Lomba Joseph is a student of the University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria). He is studying Petroleum Engineering. Most of his writings explore metaphysical themes in a humorous manner. His poems have been used for spoken word at different events in the University of Port Harcourt.