Keep It On

Lately, I have tried to write more about love. So I decided to draw inspiration from my old work. I visited my archive, and there’s a lot of rusty but good stuff. I grin when I see my old writing and how it has changed over the past decade. It reflects my growth as a person, as a scholar, and so on. A friend told me that to become a good writer, I must keep writing.

“Write some more. Keep on writing,” he said. Those words were the best advice and encouragement anyone can give a budding writer. Writing has ushered me into a very important part of my career growth while opening doors to further scholarly advancement. I am grateful for it.

Onyinye is an Igbo word for gift. Gifts are good things, right? It can be labeled as blessings, prizes, rewards, and benefits. It is many things, gracious. In Igboland, many families name their daughters Onyinyechi, meaning “gift from God.” The name can be shortened to Onyi too.

I made minor changes while revising this short poem. Friends, here’s a piece I wrote almost a decade ago.

Onyinye (Gift)

Onyinye Chukwum!
The pearl that shines with the sun,
Your skin glitters like pretty diamonds
On the darkest of nights, you glisten
From earth to the heights of heaven
Thoughts of you are a taste of fine wine!

The love we share knows no bounds
Soft as the harp upon playing fingers
Harmony honored by providence
An agreement of love and wonder.

The songs we share are like a fable
Like lore sung by country shepherds
On green fields, it comes alive and can escort my thoughts to the loyal herd.

The dreams we share for a new life,
A compass, a path and a guide,
With you, I soar to new heights
Your smiles brighten my rainy days!

The love we share is a beautiful testimony.
I love this quiet simplicity. A dream come true for you and me,
in this civilization of superficiality.

***

Translation.
Onyinye Chukwu! An Igbo exclamation meaning gift from God!