Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • Dance With Me

    Would you dance with me under the impressive glare of moonlight?

  • Dialogue 5: Greed/Selfishness

    The Greedy/Selfish Tortoise Storyteller: Ifochakpi! Audience: Waa! Storyteller: Nabe, the Tortoise is a controversial character. But we must note that the tortoise’s character is metaphorical. We use tales to demonstrate what is obtainable in the real world. Greed is a vice. In Africa, it is frowned upon and selfish people in folktales tend to fall…

  • Mist

    Mist like smokeDoused upon hutsMessenger of earthThat cling to hills Most, the color of palm wineWell gathering on mustachesOf men, old and youngA cover for wary rodents Mist, nature’s courierImpostor to manySteering to paths unchartedWhere fortune or failure lay

  • My Father’s Hill

    It’s chilly down this valleyAs this village is immersedIn between these ancient hillsWalked by my father, and his fathersI find it spectacular to be home,To family where it all beganI’m a king, after all, tells my heart

  • Merry Christmas

    Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  • Painting: The Void

    No caption came to my mind initially. But when I hung out with friends for a weekend drink, an idea came to me. So, ladies and gents, I present this colourful painting of mine to you. I call it: The Void. The Void is an uneven combination of black and blue. It’s a sketch of…

  • Love Poems: Loving Words

    Light is my sweet, loving words With faith, I stand my ground, When I look into your pretty eyes I behold a warrior, my happiest desire! You are a delicate bud For you, I sing and stand Songs, poetry and lavender perfumes, My muse, my all to make your joy blossom Let our happiness flow…

  • Love Poem: Three Words

    Three are my words, Painted on my band A colourful hue Remind me, I love you

  • Moonlight

    I behold the nightfall across the dark blue clouds I watch evening carry desires of men waiting to unfold I enjoy the sensation of the imminent weekend Drums of merrymaking sound miles off, Cackling, singing, every bit of mirthful noise However, the shepherd sits to enjoy his time alone I hear deep-voiced frogs calling out…

  • Reflection: Leaving The Past Behind

    No matter how beautiful and glorious you think the past was, the future is better; far, far better. I used to be a teacher. I love working with kids and youth. I spent a lot of time, preparing my classes and discussions because I would not want a boring class. Fast forward, I was accepted…

  • Drifting Stars

    You remind me of drifting stars,Of sops ripening in the daybreak,I clasp to your arms as a childFor you have become my worldThe beginning and end

  • Quotes on Teamwork

    “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan

  • Harmattan Has Come!

    Harmattan arrived grandly With the smell of burning grass, Dry nostrils and painted faces Harmattan made land arid So mud is now waterproof, And men without a sense of smell The thick fog of smoke and dust Greet the land that once knew rain Speak of her cold art: dusty faces & feet

  • Muse: Love is Magical

    Love is a magical feeling Binding two or more souls Their hopes & impressions, Establishing trust & to heal

  • Story of Compassion: Life-giver

    A young woman got a job as a waiter in a restaurant. She was always happy and upbeat but after some months, she lost excitement. Something had gone wrong. On a particular day, there were lots of people in the restaurant and she had to serve people. They started murmuring and shouting at her, “When…

  • Story of Compassion: The Brick

    Dear Friends here is a story about compassion, shared by a close friend on Whatsapp. A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighbourhood street, in his new Jaguar. Suddenly, a brick smashed into his side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the car back to the spot where the brick had…

  • Morning Wakes

    Morning wakes in the sun Windy clouds, happy yawns, Up the hill a quiet town Misty paths, bird tunes, All, green forest’s tenants

  • Quotes and Lessons: Resilience

    You’re going to go through tough times – that’s life. But I say, ‘Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.’ Joel Osteen. A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose. John Maxwell. I love the light for it shows me the way to…

  • A Shepherd’s Song

    Tree roots are my favorite seat, mushrooms are cushionsOccasionally my thoughts drown in the music of sheep and birdsLight-colored birds fly above me, up in the trees they gatherTo watch the meeting of white wool spread across the green grassSome bolder birds come down to join the massive banquet,Picking stray insects that fled the grass…

  • Let

    Let this morn, a huge favour grant; Let it be known: I cherished you first

  • Depression

    The English dictionary defined depression as a state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future. Many people experience this daily. Depression sucks out the joy and life of an individual even when the person is still living. Honestly, I think being sad is the youngest brother…

  • Reflection: Be Happy

    Happiness is whatever you make of it. It’s free as the air we breath and light we see A Goat’s Stubborn Story A friend sent the picture above on Whatsapp. I was amused at the sight of goats pulling a wagon. Out of all quadruplets, stubborn goats were chosen to pull a cart. It seems…

  • Selflessness

    An old man once told me the story of how as a young man, his mother used to ask him: “What is the most important part of your body?” Through the years, he would guess what he thought was the correct answer. The first time, his answer was: “The ears.” The mother replied: “No, many…

  • I felt roses by Alexander Okoroji

    It was a dream, The deepest of it, The silent have it, But this moments stole it, I whisper a little, She knew, It was love, She felt it, I never wanted it back, I gave it, A shyly shaky witty love. Oh no, What if I dent the colours, I spoilt it with odours,…

  • Say You Believe Me

    The past won’t make me think less of us The worlds pain and hurts won’t either So I invented a formula to love you, To make you smile in several ways, Tell you the story of the tall giraffe And how she ate the sick moon half, Perhaps we can act the noisy two You,…

  • Night Poem: Nature Lamps

    I lived in rural southern Nigeria for a generous amount of time. Each time nightfall throws her pitch-black blanket over the horizon, I can’t help but wonder. I would stretch my eyes as far as they can go to see where the darkness ends, this ends with disappointments because no one can see or measure…

  • Isuikwuato Hills

    1. See these monuments standing to salute, to greet the great and small, From the top, the tree branches wave their way through the wind And down below, their roots, like men’s arms pop out of the ground Across the skies, just above the hills, light blue clouds abound 2. Mushrooms are the landlords, they…

  • Shepherdlore: Dreams

    Down, down the quiet vale Where skies are always blue, And rivers rush over pebbles And birds sing all day long Live a young ruddy shepherd Who knew the forest And made friends with her dwellers His voice was kind, so was his hands He believed in fairy tales and angels And having it all…

  • Love’s Memory

    For love’s memory I cherish this dose, This care, your beauty, Every time the sun rose I remember this feeling

  • Speak Positive

    In Africa, whatever you believe and yearn for, comes to you Dear friends, Let me distract you from all the bad news circling the globe. So I have written this just to remind you how awesome you are. So if you could just do me this favour; take a look at the mirror and tell…

  • Amuse: The Hill

    A few miles away, stood a hill Which the simple villagers revere It is said that all cold and wind Came from the foot of the hill And so the villagers admired it, If their day was cheerless and hot It is that someone angered it, Took a piss on roots by the hillside Or…

  • Igbo Proverbs

    Proverbs are sources of wisdom. They are the oil with which the Igbo eat their words. In this post, I wrote in Igbo, translated into English, and then gave its meaning. Sometime ago, I did a blog post on proverbs used in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Click here to view it.…

  • Quote: Helping Others

    Life’s support system is not one-laned; sometimes we need to be there for others too.

  • Haiku: Misty Moon

    Misty moon Twilight verse Wishes wait

  • Friendship

    There’s always a friend out there for everyone, someone to confide in and share life with. Friendship is illustrated in love, sympathy, kindness, loyalty, generosity, forgiveness, altruism, mutual understanding, compassion, trust, and the ability to be oneself and to express one’s feelings. Even Africa’s wild agrees on friendship. Do you agree? ☺️

  • Family Is Everything

    Family is what we make it In Africa, family is everything. Family is not necessarily people related by blood. I know friends who have become and feel more like family to me. It’s all based on trust, unconditional love, and acceptance. That’s what family is. Family is a cushion and citadel. Family is a home…

  • Haiku: Bright Evening

    Bright evening Sparrows sing, Lovers listen

  • African Proverb: The River Route

    If the river route changes, the crocodile is obliged to follow – Proverb from Burkina Faso In today’s proverb, the crocodile can be likened to life and the river route to vicissitudes. Hence, when things change, for good or bad, life has to go on.

  • Night Poem: Dream Away

    Your voice wakes the wild nature in me When you sing the lyrics gladden my soul I adore those moments you look over your shoulder To catch my happy stare; as you dance away, laughing *** You dress like tulips that grow on the farmyard Fresh, delicate pink, lively as green bean pods Scenting the…

  • Wilderness in the Skies

    There’s wilderness in the skies Embellished with many galaxies Of numerous twinkling stars Cosmic jewellery, Playing peek-a-boo With folk down below Once upon a time, A moment of thought On a journey called life

  • Happiness

    The pursuit of happiness is a moral duty So what is happiness? Everyone has got a definition depending on their life’s viewpoint. Happiness is contentment. It’s bliss, joy, peace of mind, and hope. The pursuit of happiness is engraved in the US Declaration of Independence. Happiness is the sound of waterfalls. It’s the whistling of…

  • Life, A Walk In The Park

    Life is like a walk in the wooded green park Where strange fine flowers and plants grow, And pests; rodents, bunnies and insects abound On the roadside will be mistletoes, thorny roses, even cactuses With so many harmless weed plants sprouting all about They hurt if one touches them and won’t If one will let…

  • Haiku: Silhouettes Walk

    Grim pups howl Cold full moon Silhouettes walk

  • Muse: Love

    Love is when we stare into the eyes of each other When we smile for no reason but each others warmth It gives me pleasure to love you, masoyina And I cherish the thought of it every sunset **** Masoyina*: Hausa language for my love.

  • African Myths

    Do you know that in Africa there are so many outrageous myths and beliefs? Mind you, this is not voodoo. Myths do exist. Most times, they are used to scare or refrain children and young adults from being rude, behaving wildly or disobeying their parents or elders. So let’s define a myth to get a…

  • Last November Rains

    When it’s time for the rain to journey away, the days turn gloomy and nights cold. In a few days, the rainy season will be over. We don’t know when but the older folk says it’s almost time. Nowadays the rain falls every evening. It starts with a sudden change in the weather, like a…

  • Fresh Start

    Waking sun reminds of onsetsFor the past is kept without,So light dew may bless the moment

  • Night Poem: Setting Sun

    Favourite pastime My favourite moment of the day is sunset. The golden rays of the setting sun reveal a lot to me: better is the end of something than its beginning. Watching the sun fall yields to me how an infant my soul will remain. I don’t want to get used to it. It heals…

  • Life

    Life is like a mist Life is a precious gift, a blessing that we should never take for granted. Life is like a mist. The mist appears for a while and disappears forever. So in your thoughts, relive the moments that brought smiles to your face. Relive the hugs from the ones you love, the…

  • Muse: Dear Starry Night

    Dear starry night, Friend of the lonely shepherd Attend to these heartbeats So that the night aura be grand Play the silent music of night Chart a path for this heart Where flowery dreams sprout Sweet & memorable moments With the approaching twilight Permit these emotions to pause At the sunset golden gate Let it…