Bio
Uche Ogbuji (@uogbuji) was born in Calabar, Nigeria. He lived, among other places, in Egypt and England before settling near Boulder, Colorado. A computer engineer and entrepreneur by trade, his collection of poetry, Ndewo, Colorado is forthcoming in 2014 from Kelsay Books. His poems, fusing Igbo culture, European Classicism, U.S. Mountain West setting, and Hip-Hop influences, have appeared widely, most recently in IthacaLit, String Poet, The Raintown Review, Featherlit, Outside In Journal, Don't Just Sit There, Qarrtsiluni, and Leveler. He is editor at Kin Poetry Journal and The Nervous breakdown, founder and curator at the @ColoradoPoetry Twitter project.
Uche Ogbuji
Ndu M
(Double Trolet)
No other sorts of teases please
Plus flick such itchy gnats at you
As pluriplosive runs of sneeze-
No smothered snorts! No teasing, please!
I'm death's-grin rattled by degrees,
Sap-acid burned, a prize cashew–
Oh murther! Short my wheezing pleas,
I'm tickled miching, natch. Atchoo!
Footnote
"Bless you" say missionary tongues;
In Igboland we say: "my life"
("Ndu m"), no idling for the crumbs
From blessèd missions' preachy tongues;
What sort of soul skulks in the lungs
Dreading some spasmodic midwife?
"Bless you" say missionary tongues;
In Igboland we say: "my life."