Piety, Deformed - Three Poems By Salau Anthony

Written By: Salau Anthony

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Salau Anthony presents "Piety, Deformed," a thought-provoking poetry collection featured in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. In this collection, Anthony weaves a tapestry of existential themes, exploring the complex interplay between faith, identity, and the metaphysical. Through vivid imagery and introspective musings, Anthony invites readers into a world where reflections and memories intertwine, and the boundaries of reality blur.

About the Work

"Piety, Deformed" delves into themes of transformation and introspection. The poems explore the liminal spaces between reality and memory, identity and existence. Anthony's use of evocative imagery and metaphysical allusions creates a haunting atmosphere that resonates with the reader. The collection's mood shifts between introspective contemplation and the chaotic pull of the unknown, offering a profound meditation on the human condition.

Piety, Deformed - Three Poems By Salau Anthony

Original Submission by Salau Anthony

piety, deformed

3 poems by salau anthony

genesis

a woman’s reflection where my face used to be,

then a child, then an ant, then nothing,

skin shredding into onion peels, i can cry no longer,

river of tears, flow me if you will,

i reach out to touch my hand, that was my last memory,

i cannot remember a thing, down here, how did i come to be?

poetry is my daybed, ecdysis my religion,

the tree that kept us alive is dead now,

the skies are falling, collapsed into flood,

eternal cleansing, i cannot feel the sweat trickle down my face,

a tree branch where my face used to be,

ants scurrying along, set themselves ablaze when my gaze washes over them,

i am crawling into myself, my breaking bones hum an otherworldly crescendo,

synthwaves from the sea, principal metaphysical,

sing to me, preacher, and i may be convinced,

scream at me and you will deafen yourself,

i should breathe, fall into a deep sleep afterwards,

i forgot how to do both, i gave myself to a promise of eternity,

weakened eyes proclaim the afterglow of chastity,

i cannot promise you that, dark is the world i inhabit then,

i let myself fall today, depths previously uncharted,

the allure of sin, the appeal of unredemption,

these waters have roses singing hymns atop them,

ghouls possessing no remorse swarm beneath,

maybe if i learned to love them they would claw at me no longer,

here i sit, breathless, itching to bare myself whole,

bone from flesh, bone to ash, ash to soul,

the lanterns flame has escaped its charred lips,

and we are entwined in an embrace that never ends.

the liminal green space between insanity and an overturned cockroach soaring the caves

the birds sing no longer,

broken men hang from nests by their vocal cords,

the plague has made its way into broken mirrors,

the heralds of falsehood are that no longer,

i speak to myself no longer, i lent my tongue to the before,

a brick wall made by roses i continually impale my hands on,

grotesque the pretty things we once called our sanctuary,

a creeping darkness moves breathless, regurgitate eternal,

the undying births more finality than you may conceive,

a young man with neither biology nor constitution,

immanence at its purest, my vomit is no one’s to claim,

the skies are echoes from a rabid painters soliloquy,

the liminal green space where we eat our toes so we may crawl,

all falls into an exhale that is synonymous with dying breath.

spectacle is a sandstorm wrapped in an existential promise of unattainable sightlessness

skew verbose, all we are is an eyeball and an occasional utterance,

spectacle is a sandstorm and we are sojourners all,

these arid lands lay lifeless at our behest,

servile no-no, compassionate at its truest,

ravenous with hunger it consumes its own teeth,

hunger burrows an eternal chasm in a blink,

we all want to see, our pupils laced with mud and acid,

losing our feet to the blight, all we are is crawling,

what you christen your abode is liminal, passing,

we built these walls from the hunger, our portraits suspended by our arteries,

woven into sightlessness, darkness becomes the guiding light,

thoughts dispersed by winds unsettled,

and beliefs are a fractured femur.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates the art of poetry and creative writing from around the world. This prestigious competition invites participants to share their unique voices and perspectives, fostering a global community of writers and poets. With no stated prizes or rankings, the competition emphasizes creativity and expression, highlighting the diverse narratives that define our shared human experience.

Thank you, Salau Anthony, for sharing your captivating work, "Piety, Deformed," with us in this year's Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition. Your exploration of existential themes and masterful use of imagery offer a profound experience for readers. We appreciate your contribution and look forward to seeing more of your evocative poetry in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.