How To Kill A Man

take away the things

that make him want

to stand from his bed

at dawn. chew his name

& spit it at shame's feet.

break his dream's spine.

incite his shadows.

stir a rebellion

in his blood.

deprive him of things

that make him long

for his bed's bosom

at the death of day.

Jide Badmus is an engineer, a poet inspired by beauty and destruction; he believes that things in ruins were once beautiful. He is the author of There is a Storm in my Head; Scripture; Paper Planes in the Rain (co-authored) and Paradox of Little Fires. Badmus has curated and edited several anthologies such as Vowels Under Duress; Coffee; Today, I Choose Joy; and How to Fall in Love. He is the founder of INKspiredNG, poetry editor for Con-scio Magazine, and sits on the board of advisors for Libretto Magazine. Jide writes from Lagos, Nigeria. He tweets @bardmus