A Trip Through Home

Today is different,

The loud car horns; carbon monoxide infused with the cool morning breeze; cab conductors calling out different locations; passengers scrambling to get in;

a whiff of hot akara and puff-puff balls permeates the air,

a reminder of an unbroken fast.

Everyone seems to be in a hurry; the rush is thick in the air; speed limits mean nothing,

The spell is broken only when a collision occurs.

Today I’m unbound,

my phone is locked away; my heart isn’t racing to get to my destination first.

For once, my steps are light and happy.

Today I see it all,

Evergreen masquerade trees as tall as the light poles that frame the freeway; flame of the forest trees crowned with its bright red flowers; a landscaping display of flowers that mimic the garden of Eden.

   These,

an exquisite contrast to the cold gray concrete of the bridges and tarred road.

I like the softness of the white-blue sky, the feel of the wind blowing past my face.

I feel grateful for the bridges, birthed from the coupling of structural elements.

An inanimate ferryman that takes no charge

Today I’ve seen,

A small portion of Abuja.

The ideal mix of disarray and tranquility.