Aubade with Hope
“River, river– / lift up your roaring tongue to heaven, / swear you do not have my mother / in your belly.”
Flourish Joshua is a Nigerian poet, and a member of the Frontiers Collective. He is the winner of the 2021 Salt Nation Poetry Prize, the 2021 Young Writers and Creatives’ Award (Poetry Category) and finalist of the 2021 NO CONTACT Poetry Prize. He is Associate Poetry Editor at miniskirt magazine, Founding / Poetry Editor of Olúmọ Review, Interview Editor at Eremite Poetry, and a Best of the Net nominee. His works have appeared—or are forthcoming—in London Grip Poetry, Indian Review, miniskirt magazine, Olongo Africa, Blue Marble Review, the Indianapolis Review, Agbowó, Poetry Column-NND, Five South Journal, East French Press, Isele Magazine, Magma Poetry, Pepper Coast Lit, Lumiere Review, and elsewhere.
“River, river– / lift up your roaring tongue to heaven, / swear you do not have my mother / in your belly.”