These three poems by Farida Mohammed Shehu were especially chosen for The Bala Selection.
The Bala Selection is a bi-weekly poetry feature curated by Ismail Bala for Konya Shamsrumi, showcasing distinctive new voices and resonant works from across Africa and beyond. Through his discerning eye, each selection highlights the craft, music, and emotional clarity that define contemporary poetry at its most luminous.
Ismail Bala is a poet, translator, and critic whose work bridges classical poetics and modern sensibility, and whose mentorship has shaped a generation of emerging African poets.
Wrecked Ship
Hmmm
They call it courtship
But it seems like a wrecked ship
That takes you on a voyage of deception
With an anchor of lies
Holding the relationship
A deck of betrayal
Propelling fake promises
Upon reaching your destination
It sinks
And everything changes
Now, there's only you
Drowning deep beneath the darkness of the waters
Gasping for air
Till you no longer see the glimpse of the sky
And wondering
What happened to that ship
You just want to die
For death is the only thing left
The Knight in Friendly Armour
Alone
Surrounded by scary fears and nagging worries
A blind face-off with anxiety
Not knowing what to do.
I can't fight alone
I knelt, eyes still closed
A knight, I felt
In friendly armour
Wielded a sword of assurance
Striking through my fears
Silencing my worries
Thrusting hope into my heart.
Not alone
I'm fallen deep
Sound asleep
In the embrace of his reassurance
Now I have no fears
No cares
Just me and my knight in friendly armour.
My Identity Leg
My Identity Leg
You gave me the most beautiful gait
Leaving prints of beauty and hope
Wherever I tread
Remember, me and you, 5 and 6
I am not me, without you
You've nursed me for years
I am here to nurse you back
You and I are stuck together
Never to hurt without the other
You got hit to rescue me
I got fractured saving you
We may be perishable, you and I
But we are all the strength we both need
Fighters
Together
We fall and rise like empires
Making memories, making history
Everyday
Soon we shall stand tall again
Me and you
My identity leg.
About Farida Mohammed Shehu
Dr Farida Mohammed Shehu holds a BSc and MSc in Economics from Bayero University, Kano, and a PhD in Islamic Finance and Banking from Universiti Utara Malaysia. She is a senior lecturer in the Department of Economics, Bayero University, Kano, and is presently serving as the Deputy Director (Research and Publications) at the International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, Bayero University, Kano.
Dr Shehu is a polio survivor, an educationist, a philanthropist, a poet, and an advocate for people with disabilities. She is the founder/CEO of Rescue Me Foundation For Hope and Social Inclusion
