Home
Smells sweet like vanilla
Occasionally a whiff of cigarette smoke
Sometimes a vape
Sometimes it’s just weed

Home is
About 200 pounds
Thick arms and thick thighs
The deepest belly button I’ve ever poked
And the most beautiful eyes
And unkempt hair
And a crooked smile

Home is
The only place I feel safe
Filled with endless naps
And nose kisses
The only place I’m allowed to be a turtle
If only my shell could be as thick as your skull
The safest place on the planet
Is in the deep crevices of your neck
Where I often bury my face
When the world is falling apart
The place that catches all my tears

Home
Tickles me until I can’t breathe
Tears streaming from my eyes
Has the most contagious laugh
Spreading like wildfire throughout my bones
Keeping me warm throughout the long nights
With a minion blanket as bright as the sun

Home is
A constant reminder to do my best
And to eat at least two meals a day
My personal doctor and wannabe parent
Often scolding me for living too freely
Sometimes my only source of motivation
And the only one in my corner
Never folding

Home is…

With you

Elikem’s Corner, a series of poems from our Editor-In-Chief, Elikem Thee Poet. These poems give insight to a piece of her world; her own lived experiences and the experiences of people around her.