Oremi
I've felt a spark before—
The one you know,
That one of attraction
That seeks attention.
But today, I felt another.
Oremi,
Oh, Oremi—
I know friendship sinks its roots little by little,
'Till its trees begin to break the shackles
Of silence sown in foreign ground,
And roots beneath begin to tangle—
In quiet trust.
Oremi,
My sweet Mimore,
I have broken your heart many times,
Yet still, you wait—
Your wide, forgiving arms
Open like grace.
Oremi,
I know our relationship—
Or rather, our friendship—
Has faded and flickered, time and again.
But can we return to that time,
When it was just you and I,
The world against us?
Oremi,
No friendship is like yours.
No love compares.
Though you're a jealous One,
Still, I will only love you,
Only trust you,
Only look to you—
Because you first loved me.
— Gift Jae
“Oremi” by Gift Jae is a heartfelt poem about real friendship. The title is a Yoruba word for “my friend”. The poem toes this path and goes to show that real friendship is about loyalty, forgiveness, and sticking with someone even when things get hard.
A true friend is someone who still loves and accepts you, even when you mess up.
About the Poet
Gift Jae is the pen name of Eno James Ukpong, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
She attended several schools across the country and completed her senior secondary education in Nsukka.
Currently, she is an undergraduate student at the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she is studying Mass Communication.
At seventeen years old, she is the first daughter in her family.
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