"Hermit's torture" by Chris Chinedu Ibeh

It is dusk again

the least favourite time of the day

Simon sits aloof behind the tree

secreting pints of emotions from his facial crevice

the joy of age mates forever elude him

silence is his best friend

loneliness becomes his favourite past time

the night mocks his tears

while the gloom of the night challenges

his sadness

he looks to the sky and creates a make believe

his abysmal source of relief

is forever haunted by the rumblings of his belly

his reprieve; the infinite swallowing of spittle

continuously making bones brittle

he falls into slumber

always and overly at the mercy of nature

nobody cares, nobody sees

in sorrowful bliss, he awaits the next day

prepping his mind for the next certain

anguish...

Chris Chinedu Ibeh is a 300-level student of the Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa.