Mother earth

The earth whispers to the universe ''don't hurt me ''.
With trees, barks, waves and sunshine bearing witness.
It pleaded in soothing, calm voice.
Yet the universe take charge, it was offended by the comment.
It says '' I'm not hurting you I'm saving you''.
Oh that's an irony!

How could you be claiming to save her when you are busy taking what she loves an cherishes the most.
When her first child the soil loses purpose by you burning it, 
' we are looking for treasure' a biased point you always try to make.
When the rock is suffering from your excavations, yes there's a fortune there.
When bloods shatters and run down the water banks, and your waste moves faster than the waves.
When you were busy cutting trees, it tears thicker than the gums you use to hold things together.
When it confident was hitted in the ass
It courage is melting like a magma
It looses it comfort at your mercy—holding your feets begging for survival
Her pride was like that of a dust
Your ego was boosted what a macho man you are.
You didn't just hurt her, you destroy her.
Just like a horny dog wanting to have a taste of the honeypot ey


She cried she pleaded till the tears dried like an abandoned pond.
Like that lake that now resembles valley,  like a godforsaken shrine
And now when she takes charge, punishing you for your crime.
You started playing victim's card—what a manipulator you are.
You worried when rain doesn't drop, blaming it on her
When it was your flames and fire that stopped it.
You cry when the temperature rises to 44 with no trees to seek refuge to.
We chant an anthem of climate action every day but we ignored it
We raise actions on plant trees while the ones in our neighborhood are dying 
When our land have become barren and no drop-not a single drop of water can make it alive nor fertile.
Then we are busy playing hunger games, with zero point or a merit to win.

When you start running after her family asking for forgiveness, they said '' No there's a fortune there, go eat it'' 
Then now you remember that '' you can't eat your cake and have it''.
Crying won't solve any problems you have, you created it so you have to pay for it.

It's high time we start been intentional with what we do and say.
We can't be hiding behind the screen saying we'd change the world when we can't change ourselves and the way we think.
We can't be climate change activist when waste flooded our homes.
Our rooms smells like garbage 
Our drainage have to turned to refuse
Change starts from me, so let it rises from here 
Let's stand up and take action in our hands,
Let's start building a greener environment 
Let's dispose our waste properly 
 then may be may be the earth will heed to our calls
And the climate will be friendly to us all

Khadija Ismail is a student of Medical lab science, a Hausa novelist, writer, poet, essayist and content writer. Her works centres on society and romance, she uses words to address issues like GBV, Mental and public health. She is the writer of Nisfu Deeniy and Wani rabo. Her work will be published in Yanar gizo anthology.

You can connect with her on Facebook as Khadija Bint Ismail and Deejasmah Writer on Instagram and Tiktok.