Wax International Poetry Journal –

"Null and Void" by Shadrach Adakole Okpanachi

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September 15th, 2026

Wax International Poetry Journal

Null and Void

by Shadrach Adakole Okpanachi

The lines divide us,
‎Creating boundaries on our names,
‎Planting mercy in place of love, faith in substitute for kindness.
‎Cold becomes ice, hell synonymous with fire.
‎
‎Where did we go to arrive here?
‎Differences painted in heads, a horrible splashing of paint on ink's territory,
‎Now this canvas is messed up, made to look like a universe of patterns and irregular shapes,
‎See the territories, see the maps they put up to tell themselves their own race,
‎See the red ink cutting through towns on paper,
‎Claming identity in lands forged from the heat of nothing - null and void.
‎
‎The lines divide us,
‎Birthing laws to describe imperfections, names to give to another body,
‎Works of gold stolen by silver mines to call bronze ugly,
‎Every eye was made to see.
‎East is West living on the other side of the street.

About the Poet
Shadrach Adakole Okpanachi resides in Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Read the poet's biography and Wax Poetry and Art publications on Shadrach Adakole Okpanachi's Artist Page.

This poem is also featured in Comet #9, published in the Wax Poetry and Art Library.

Keywords: divisions, differences, patterns

Previously published in Wax International Poetry Journal:
Depths
by Muskan Singh

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