Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • Wade

    I wade through this slow current,Touch of loose sand on my feet,And many songs of the wild forestDrop lyrics that get me elate

  • Rhyme: Play or Labour

    Make Hay While It Shines I’ve written this short rhyme for kids and teens. It came to me when I remembered the story I read as a school kid—the tale of lazy hoppers and busy ants. The ants were seen as losers because they had no time for frivolities. Indeed, the ant clan spent most…

  • Quote: On Love

    To give and receive love, we need not wait for perfection – Oke Iroegbu.

  • World Ocean Day

    The roles Oceans play Today is World Ocean Day! This post is a reminder of the roles oceans play. I’ll share a fantastic blog written by the National Ocean Service. The ocean plays an important role in shaping our climate and weather patterns. Warm ocean waters provide the energy to fuel storm systems that provide…

  • Dialogue With The Storyteller 1

    Entry Of The Storyteller Storyteller: Ah, it’s a monstrously cold evening. Hurry, take a seat closer to the fireside, warm your hands and wait for the night’s tale. I may tell stories of love, adventure, life’s lessons, and that of the animal world. Remember, these stories serve to teach the ways of life. It has…

  • Bridges

    What more is marvelous, To bring cultures together, To bring worlds to an embrace To bring land over water?

  • These Highlands, Her People – My Muse

    Gold from daylight is upon my glass window Her warmth is pure, a dew upon the fine green grass If sun flies parade, why then the empty front yards, Oh – a horde of vampires trolling the townlet in disguise Two giant lizards quarrel over a weary worm I have seen the mother hen busy…

  • Drench Me

    I love the rain Rain! Drench me Let me catch Those drops To tell how Much I love thee

  • The Muskrat

    Don’t let little details get the better of you. Vices Vices are bad habits. Society is full of them. Indeed, the contemporary youth is impatient and this had contributed immensely to the problems faced today. In this short tale, the muskrat had demonstrated two vices that can destroy anyone – impatience and anger. We must…

  • Poem: Hear The Clouds

    The Clouds are Angry Dear friends, as I write this, it’s raining cats and dogs out there and goodness, the cloud is very angry. Have you read the tale of the angry cloud who flooded the earth, whom he accused of stealing his wife? If you haven’t, don’t worry. I’ll tell you about it another…

  • When Waterfalls Sing

    I told trees of your songs and they are jealous, When you drop, birds and the wild stop to listen, To hear you sing a melody from the long fall And watch you wash your garment on the rush below

  • Tradition of Greeting

    In African fables and tales, it’s believed that people have met with good luck just by greeting strangers Welcome to the beautiful morning of June 1st, 2021. By African tradition, it’s formal to say greetings to anyone encountered on the way. Some cultures consider it taboo not to say greetings to people (especially the aged).…

  • Cool Waters

    Cool waters Rush in peace, Hot noon bath

  • May Sunrise

    The humble morning rise from her sleep, Her twin rise from lands of unknown deep Smiling at boroughs, the sun leaves for solitary slumber Going before all; fauna & flora to a place of graceful wonder

  • Reflection and Dusk (Poem)

    Reflection: Day End & Kindness Why do I like it when it’s day end and the sunsets before my gaze? That’s a question which even a response from me may not explain precisely. Well, I don’t just enjoy the views of the beautiful sunsets alone, I worry about many things too. Each evening is an…

  • Haiku: Morning Ride

    Sail bright rays Scramble fair clouds, Dawn your mistress

  • Love Poem: Remind Me Again

    Why Not Love? Do I need to be in love with someone to write about love? The answer is no! As mentioned earlier in a blog post, I always write about love because of the natural and phenomenal beauty I observe. I’ve trained my mind to see the beauty in everything and anything. Consequently, I…

  • I’m on Patreon!

    Hi Friends, I just created my Patreon profile and would appreciate any support you can render to keep this blog going. I’ve included a little note on why I seek help on the ‘About Patreon Page.’ If you want to be a patron, please follow the link below: https://www.patreon.com/oiroegbu. Thank you so much! Yours’ Oke…

  • Video: “Waka Waka – This Time For Africa!”

    “Waka Waka!” Not only is Africa famous for its unique beauty but its rhythm, and music. The continent is indeed a melodious one and everybody and thing contribute to this wonderful harmony. It’s largely in Africa that natural sounds like the ones made by wild animals, waterfalls, wind, or rainfall are incorporated into music. Consider…

  • Folklore: Cat Skin from Project Gutenberg

    There was once a king, whose queen had hair of the purest gold, and was so beautiful that her match was not to be met with on the whole face of the earth. But this beautiful queen fell ill, and when she felt that her end drew near she called the king to her and…

  • Africa Day

    The African Union acknowledged today being the 25th of May as Africa Day. Here are some images with important information about Africa.

  • The Richest Man

    No beauty shines brighter than a good heart When Bill Gates was still the richest man, somebody asked him if there was anyone richer than him. Bill Gates answered yes and started telling the story of a newspaper guy and his encounter with him. Gates said that while he was waiting for his flight, he…

  • Break The Silence by Njabulo N.

    Police Brutality Police brutality is a disaster. It’s quite unbearable to watch the ones we entrust with our lives and protection evolve into civil nightmares and agents of dismay. Sometimes it seems that people do not have rights anymore. While there are global protests against police brutality, little is done by government institutions to address…

  • Night Poem: Nightfall

    Don’t Overthink It My favourite time is nightfall. It is time I get to assess and summarise my daily activities and productivity. Here in rural and semi-urban Africa, it’s time for reflection and rest, even as people prepare to sleep. Sometimes the reason tales are told in the village square is to help people relax…

  • Lullaby: Down By The Riverside

    {Shepherd lore…} Down by the riverside, I wait for my flock to graze, I listen to lovely young lambs call out to their mothers, I wait for the sun to set and for the breezy evening to arrive, Thoughts of a warm bed, stacked with hay return to me, Of the night sky, which is…

  • The Story of Love by Arunav Barua

    It would be so easy to let go today What was held in the heart yesterday This bond that has found sure essence Of love that beguiles the mind, of sense… Without sense then, let this new flower bloom My heart besotted, wanting you in this room Where I tell you that your beauty sublime…

  • A Kind Charge

    Sweet fragrances cling to the hands of those who distribute roses What if you had the power to make the world better, To put a warm coat over someone’s shoulder Or give out polite words and beautiful flowers? Do not hesitate to be kind no matter what the world is turning to.

  • Night Poem: Your Love

    I’ll tell the world what Your love means to me… Your love is kind and the peace that steers my boat, It’s the song of the bass guitar playing in my heart when the beats stop, It’s golden sunrise and the joyful birds singing about its glamour, It’s the serenity of walking alone and being…

  • 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…

  • Speak Up

    Silence is not always golden When it comes to caution and discipline, silence may be an adversary. Take, for example, seeing a kid who rides bicycles on the busy road and deciding not to warn him of the hazard. Also, consider not calling the police instead preferring to record or watch gang violence across the…

  • Night by Robin Bliss

    Softly the gentle night descends Slowly my quiet soul ascends One by one the sparkling lights appears Driving away all my daytime fears The deepness of the solemn night Sweeps away all traces of the light Then Luna shows its lustrous face The milky-way is draped like lace The incandescent peaceful moon rays Seemingly sets…

  • Humanity First

    The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life Birds up the trees There, up the trees, I saw several nests. I knew more were there because I could hear a multitude of birds chirping. Most of the nests were…

  • Sunset upon the river bend

    Sun set slowly above the wood Shadows appear, shepherd dreams; A soft breeze upon evening tide, The smell of sheep dung, Slices of malted bread, Songs from the wine inn, Situated by the river bend, Sober men drink their heart fill, Silent hills, retreating birds, Sally may sing her radio favourite, Something to celebrate our…

  • Rhyme: Pensive

    What shall we say Now at this delicate moment of May That we stand on this wet clay Watching the Sun leave the day? Now the leaves fall and fade In the streams, we quietly wade And to our past, we solemnly bade Welcoming the future which the Creator made The dark clouds grow and…

  • Dear Starry Night

    Dear starry night, This quiet and lonely friend of mine Here comes once more my fable Passed to me by a surge of the wind And the waves of the breezy ocean The stars whisper; Dream one more time, dear shepherd Consider the lilies that grow by the roadside For they care only for the…

  • Muse: Splendour

    The swift surge of the evening air Compares not to your amazing smile Your glittering teeth, the splendour of my soul

  • Love Poem: Remember

    Love poems weren’t my thing when I first attempted to write. In high school, my English literature teacher saw my war book manuscript, which I still have today (goodness, I have a way with books), and thought I could better write about love. I wasn’t into love, you know – an introvert, nervous in crowds,…

  • Loving You

    Loving you feels like the touch of the calm night breeze,Blowing on the open green fields where roses growLoving you feels like a voyage through the blue sea,Where dolphins, drift with the wind and whistle their songsLoving you will be a blissful dream come trueSuch that we journey together, through our imaginations

  • Which Way Nigeria?

    My Fatherland What a beautiful country Nigeria is. This glamorous country has got it all – rivers, deserts, rainforests, savannah, highlands, mountains, and every geographical feature you can think of. It is the most populated African nation, with most black people on earth. Nigeria is known as the ‘Giant of Africa’ – the cultural diversity…

  • Shadows

    What does it represent? I’ve always wanted to write a piece about shadows. Please note that for the poem below, I am referring to the shadows of man. I’m fascinated by their appearance and have always had many thoughts about them. In some cultures, shadows are considered sacred, while elsewhere they are seen as evil.…

  • Night Poem: Home

    Nightfall dreams A ride through moonshine Home wait for tales

  • Earth Day: Doing What Is Right

    Every day should be designated as Earth’s Day Indeed, I acknowledge that today and every other day should be proclaimed as Earth’s Day. Not just as the planet which harbours life, but as a reminder to treat it with more respect. There are so many ways to treat the earth right. But one thing is…

  • Remind me of April

    Let’s compare beauty to this month, April of pleasant skies & pretty flowers Obvious on benevolent blue clouds Broad with bright weather & gardens Where light & dark storms linger With glowing sunrise & peaceful dusk Painting images of hope from wands Of stars featuring as a result of the vision

  • Muse: Night Memories

    A silent evening The sun is asleep And the night awake With it, every creature of the dark Burrowing rats, squeaky insects, and birds Country, radio music, dark mists Sweet breeze, lightning, wilderness, Fading fire, lonely happy moment, Where all memories flock There’s a brewing rainstorm, Right from rumbling clouds, Shrieking crickets and night flies…

  • When A Poet Loves

    Poets are unique creatures Living in their playful minds They are facets of adventure Hewn to investigate life & why When poets fall in love They soar in their craft They prevail in fantasies Then lets life pace on art They travel to & fro the moon In their art, there is joy & pain…

  • African Proverb: On The Rat and The Lizard

    Igbo: Oke soro ngwere ma mmiri, mmiri guoro ngwere agagi ako oke English: When a rat swims with a lizard, his hairs won’t dry as the lizards. Origin: This proverb is widely used in Igbo land. The aged use this to instruct young people and children, mostly in folktales. Reptiles are good swimmers and can…

  • First Night Rain

    This night rain flatter my townShe sneaked up our curtainsAnd let her waves wrestle with themThe breeze blew out the candlelightsWhen the thunder howl in his deep voiceEach time the lightning appearsBe sure to wait for some rumblingYet the downpour clapping outsideJust by the dark and slippery balconyTries to let the pata-pata cover all sound…

  • Tales Of The Village Boy

    The Leopard Spirit 5 When I arrived home that evening, it seemed like the whole world was turned upside down. I felt my head swell as the bee stings and sharp roots hurt. By the side of my bamboo bed, Nene and her dog sat, staring at me. She held my hand and squeezed softly.…

  • My Life As A Poet By Njabulo N., Commentary by Oke I.

    My life as a poet, Has not been a sweet one, It has been tedious as the sea waves, With slithering moves like a snake, With a lot of punches more than a boxer, It is unpredictable, It can get you lost in wild thoughts. Words without sounds, Voices without people, Minds without hearts, Bones…

  • It’s Easter 2021

    May this season bring us all love, peace, and happiness. May we find joy through these turbulent times and in all we do and to show compassion to those who need help. May this season bring us hope and remind us how being godly can help man conquer all his troubles—a happy Easter celebration to…