Home » Poems » Nana Ayisha Yakubu » Five Buttons

Five Buttons

FIVE BUTTONS
They were five, in a neat row
I looked at them, how innocent
Straight and all
She smiled and it was returned
She stretched her hand out
It was wrinkled, the palm unfolded
I knew what she wanted

My fingers did too, they started dancing
Swaying towards my upper body
Caressing them lightly
Then suddenly, one came off
I looked at the other four, and smiled
I gave it to her, she wanted more

The fingers began their dancing, again
Swaying towards my upper body
And so the second one came off
She wasn’t satisfied, not yet
So the third one had to come too

She pointed at the fourth one
It came off too
Her eyes longed for the fifth
I knew I was walking home buttonless, again
So once again the fingers danced, swayed
The fifth was off

I knelt down and presented it to her
Like a box of jewel
It was more than a box of jewel, to her
Valuable?
No, more like priceless, she insisted
She has always amazed me, from the very start

I had to go, or suspicions will arise
She knew that, I knew that
We had our monthly “see you later” ritual
Then I really had to go
The other students were coming, friends, and foe

I walked up to the friends, conscious of the foe
Then suddenly laughter, friends and foe both
What? I couldn’t understand
“Your buttons”, friends
“Buttons disappeared again?” foe
I just smiled and said “have a happy weekend too.”
And walked on, knowing, contented, 
That they couldn’t understand

I couldn’t refuse her, I didn’t want to
I couldn’t say no to her, my granny
My very dead granny, so everyone thinks
But I can see her, talk with her
And she wanted five buttons, I offered to buy a whole packet
But no, not just any buttons, but

The five buttons from the shirt she made with me, for me
Which was now like my uniform, I wore it everyday
She wanted those only, I don’t know why, but I deliver
And go home at the end of every week and sit in her room
Putting on five new buttons which will come off, surely, certainly
With the parents always asking “how come you lose all five at once?”
I want to tell them, “I can talk with granny.”
But that’s my secret, they don’t have to know.

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.