By Abduljeleel Olanrewaju (ABJ)

Have you ever been in exile before?
I was there,
in the exile of thought—
darker than the night.

Days felt like years,
haunting,
taunting,
with no sign of escape.

The nights were cold,
and I was helpless—clueless,
searching for a haven
that could ease the ache.

“Fleeing is the way out,” I said,
but little did I know,
I buried myself—
into the darkened cave of my thoughts.

By embracing it, I broke the chain—
that invisible chain that enslaves.
I set my soul free
from the burden that lay within.