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The God of My Dreams




     Written by Teni Ayo-Ariyo 
     Illustrated by Samantha Vassor 

     Est. Reading Time: 1 min 




The God of my dreams does not ask me for papers to enter heavens borders
Accepts the brown hues of my skin as praise
Combs through the pages of my journals and finds my prayers there
Does not ask me to shout hallelujah when I fight in whispers


My dream God likes mango slushies and boiled beans and plantain bread
When it is 3am and anxious thoughts hold my breath hostage
The God of my dreams twirls me lightly in my room
Irons breath back into my lungs one dance at a time


When fear knocks, the God of my dreams sends love in high heels
Love is plump and sticky fingered and takes up so much room until fear is in the back corner
Shuddering
Pinned down with nowhere to go


The God of my dreams is tender
Does not shout ordinances or force me to cast out demons
Rejoices when I sit and say
“God I don't believe today, help me find trust in your eyes.”
 


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Published August 31, 2020
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.





Author’s Bio
Teni writes soft, brave things. Her full name, Teninlanimi means “I belong to the Great One” in Yoruba, a language from Nigeria. Her name is a subtle, powerful truth that calls her home when the world gets too loud.
︎ @teninla_  ︎teninla.com


Artist’s Bio
Samantha Vassor is an artist and designer based in South Florida. She primarily works in 3D animation, illustration, and game art. Her personal art projects look to explore the materials, rituals, and culturally specific objects that influence her Haitian-Filipina American identity.
︎ @svassor  ︎samanthavassor.com




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