Sisterhood
An ode to the power of female friendship by poet Ayomide Abolaji.
They see me
Their smiles tell me that I am loved
Their palms are soft landing for my tears
Their eyes remind me of
Our shared strength and vulnerability
There is no hesitation on their lips
When I need to be called out
When I say “go awf sis”
Their voices ring in my head
Their hands are never far from mine
To give a reassuring squeeze
With them around I’ll never lack
When they’re beside me I remember
That even though I can pick myself up
I do not have to
A lifetime of support to call a stage
A foundation that erases fear and anxiety
“To the ends of the earth” is an inaccurate description of
How far I would go for them
Together we have overdosed
On uncontrollable laughter
I’m never without a partner on the dance floor
When I move, they move
Just like that
When they move, we move
Just like that
Different hearts same beat
They have seen the best of me
They pray for my success
They have seen the worst of me
They love me regardless and because of
Who knew this would be the love affair to save me
To make life worth living
Again and again.
My cheerleaders, my riders, my angels,
my mentors, my grounders, my partners in crime
My soulmates.
The mutual respect runs deep
The trust is guttural
Forged in fire
Dipped in dazzling titanium
My sisters,
The ones who see me
In spirit. In body. In truth.
Knowing and loving you is an honour.
