{"id":13702,"date":"2019-05-17T08:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T13:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/learning-to-plant-trees-with-my-father-while-my-mothers-ghost-sings-by-nome-emeka-patrick\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:52:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:52:58","slug":"learning-to-plant-trees-with-my-father-while-my-mothers-ghost-sings-by-nome-emeka-patrick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2019\/05\/17\/learning-to-plant-trees-with-my-father-while-my-mothers-ghost-sings-by-nome-emeka-patrick\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning To Plant Trees With My Father While My Mother\u2019s Ghost Sings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Learning To Plant Trees With My Father While My Mother&#8217;s Ghost Sings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Nome Emeka Patrick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">i am planting trees inside a dream blur enough for even God\u2019s eyes.<br>in the distance, my father\u2019s voice dances in the wind under the wings<br>of golden seagulls. my hands are in the soil which is why i am smiling<br>at my father\u2019s words <em>today, we are going to plant trees so many that<br>we will build our houses &amp; raise an empire amongst them, right son?<\/em><br>my mother\u2019s ghost kneels at the feet of an aspen, hair a fountain of curls,<br>sings a song that opens with my name, &amp; i am once again a blue eulogy.<br>my father walks to me with a head of flowers which is why i remember:<br>this is a dream of greens. He says son, we are fulfilling mystic promises.<br>He says son we are building a place where the birds can slip into our beds<br>&amp; make our rooms into a soiree of music. I am opening my hands, slowly<br>to show him my soiled palms, to show him what miracle grows there.<br>i stand inside my father\u2019s working shadow, how he lowers a seed into<br>the earth like angels gifting dreams to newborns, &amp; that\u2019s why i remember<br>this is a dream of dreams. everywhere, i think angels disguise as the wind,<br>wash through our bodies while my father wipes sweat on his green apron.<br>my name grows in my ears like an echo \u2013my mother\u2019s own jar of prayers.<br>son, here, come see, father gestures me towards the last tree, says, this here<br>boy is yours. Nurture it, son, like your dreams. I say yes, a bird leaps out<br>of my mouth, which is why I remember i am in the middle of wild trees.<br>My father\u2019s voice unfurls in the wind &amp; mother\u2019s ghost sings the best eulogies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Nome Emeka Patrick is a blxck bxy and student in the University of Benin, Nigeria, where he studies English language and literature. A recipient of the 40th edition of <em>Festus Iyayi award for excellence (Poetry) <\/em>in 2018<em>; <\/em>His works have been published or forthcoming in <em>Beloit poetry journal, Crann\u00f3g magazine, Puerto Del Sol, Notre Dame Review, Gargouille, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gazejournal.net\/journal\/nomeemekapatrick\">Gaze journal<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/algebraofowls.com\/tag\/nome-emeka-patrick\/\">Algebra of Owls<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/flapperhouse.com\/2019\/03\/06\/monologue-in-a-room-with-the-portraits-of-my-dead-brother-poetry-by-nome-emeka-patrick\/\">Flapper house<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/mudseasonreview.com\/december-2018\/\">Mud Season Review<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oakland-review.com\/new-page\">The Oakland Review<\/a>, Barnhouse journal<\/em> and elsewhere. His manuscript <em>&#8216;We Need New Moses. Or New Luther King&#8217; <\/em>was a finalist for the 2018 Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets. He writes from a small room close to banana trees and bird songs in Benin city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&lt;&lt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2019\/05\/10\/hats-off-to-marcelino-bernal-by-jose-oseguera\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2019\/05\/14\/two-poems-by-anastasia-stelse\/\">Next<\/a> &gt;&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learning To Plant Trees With My Father While My Mother&#8217;s Ghost Sings Nome Emeka Patrick __________ i am planting trees inside a dream blur enough for even God\u2019s eyes.in the distance, my father\u2019s voice dances in the wind under the wingsof golden seagulls. my hands are in the soil which is why i am smilingat&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[253,17],"tags":[71,18],"class_list":["post-13702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boudin-2019-spring-edition","category-poetry","tag-nomeemekapatrick","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13702"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22533,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13702\/revisions\/22533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}