FIRSTBORN
by Bruce Wekesa, Kenya. Third place in the Writory International Poetry Contest, June 2026, scored 90 out of 100.
FIRSTBORN Throat cancer strangled Baba Overgrown tumors ate him Lymph nodes. Gagged Vocal cords. Invaded Death followed Mama hit a law of physics Friction compromised by worn out tyres The car skidded She died on the spot I was only eighteen Already a head Heading a family with no legs I became a no-mess guy I mess My sister misses her lessons I mess My youngest brother misses supper I am the shoulders that break silently at night The head that carries burdens The feet that foot bills I am the firstborn The road riddled with potholes and still my siblings pass on me
Read all the winning poems with their scores, or enter the current round: every entry is read blind, scored out of 100 and receives a certificate.