Soul Stones

We swallow boulders:
(lead words, molasses covered prejudice, glass shards of promises long broken)

Mouths open wide and heads tipped back
like Hawaiian fire eaters.

Chipped teeth are bits of porcelain history,
sliding down our throats in rivers of neglect
and acid.

The stones settle,

BOOM...

      BOOM...

            BOOM...

Our stomachs are filled up, anvil weight
'till we can hardly sit, hardly stand, or walk.

We drag our feet in pain, as the quiet indicator that
we've had rocks for breakfast,
lunch, dinner,  for years,
in the hopes that someone will recognize
the broken concrete footprints behind us
and touch us gently on the forearm:

"Honey, are you alright?"

(and isn't it the first sweet trickle of kind words that crumble
the already cracking facade?)

There's no stopping the torrent then,
tsunami tears and a heaving, convulsing
to the point of cathartic vomit-

boulders of every shape and size
tumbling out of our mouths and filling the room;
broken teeth and granite eyes
until we no longer see the floor, the walls...

And then serenity.

The hand has moved to the shoulder,
forming a universal hug.

"I'm here now... and you're ok."

We stand up, together, and leave that room,
a soundless void of yesterday,
to absorb the impermeability of stones,
carrying our gait buoyant, without gravity.

No weight at all now, and barely a second glance,

but to turn out the light - and lock the door behind us...


By: Tatyana Carney

Nigerian Cuisine

Nigerian cuisine consists of dishes or food items from the hundreds of ethnic groups that comprise the West African nation of Nigeria. Like other West African cuisines, it uses spices and herbs in conjunction with palm oil or groundnut oil to create deeply flavoured sauces and soups often made very hot with chili peppers. Nigerian feasts are colourful and lavish, while aromatic market and roadside snacks cooked on barbecues or fried in oil are plentiful and varied.

The Nigerian cuisine is not limited in any way .Nigerians have a number ways of preparing their rice, meat and beans. The Nigerian cuisine is rich in spices which most of it is hot.

Coconut rice is a rice dish made with coconut milk.Jollof rice is a rice-based food, made up with a range of spices, tomatoes, onions, and various seafood. It is a major delicacy served in most parties, events and occasions in Nigeria.Fried rice is a rice dish typically mixed with an assortment of eggs, vegetables and meat, poultry or prawns.Pate is made with ground dry corn, rice or acha. Mostly combined with vegetables (spinach), tomatoes, onions, peppers, garden eggs, locust beans, groundnuts, biscuit bones and minced meat. It is common within northwestern Nigeria, like Kaduna, Nassarawa and Plateau. This is to name a few modes in which rice is prepared by the Nigerians.

Beans-based

·         Akara

·         Moin moin

·         Ekuru

Meat Based

Suya is grilled meat coated with ground chili pepper, peanut powder, and other local spices. It is prepared barbecue-style on a stick. This is one of the most famous Nigerian delicacies and can be found within easy reach all over the country.Tsire refers specifically to meat which has a generous coating of peanut/chili powder. It may or may not be on a skewer.Kilishi is made from meat that has been cut into very thin slices which is then spread out to dry. A special preparation of chili pepper, spices and local herbs is then prepared into a paste which is lightly brushed on both sides. This is then briefly grilled.Balangu refers to meat that has been grilled over wood/coal fire. Specifically, no seasoning is applied to bring out the natural flavor of the particular type of meat which may be goat, sheep or cow meat. Salt and spices can be added later according to taste.

 

A Plate of Pounded Yam (Iyan) and Egusi Soup.

 

A yam Pottage.