Poem by Olanrewaju Olajumoke Akinla

Mr C is performing tonight.
The stage is Ms R’s face.

His breath is violent—
rising, falling,
paranoid as sea waves.

Muscles swell with charge,
collapse without remorse.

Mr C’s performance is wild.

The stage caves in.
The sound of collapse draws attention.

Mr C is trapped
in the broken stage.

The impact crushes him.
The world watches his fall.

Mr C will never perform on that stage again.