Okechukwu’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • Painting by Sthembiso Msibi

    Trust me she’s got amazing talent. See more of her work on IG: @sthekamsibi

  • Magpie and the Squirrel – A Poem

    Swooping down in excitement from a tree, A magpie spies the nuts and seeds with me. A squirrel nearby watches the commotion, Its swishing tail plotting paths of anticipation. The bounty descends effortless to the ground, Like wheat chaff in the muted siren of sound. As the magpie dances, delighted at the sight, The squirrel…

  • Quote: No Mountain Too Great

    There’s no mountain too great. Hear these words and have faith. -Diana Ross

  • African Proverb: Someone who Shouts

    There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts. Meaning: In Igbo land, it’s assumed that people who make a lot of noise are cowards. The principle of more action and less talk is the foundation of this proverb. The English version is the empty drum makes the loudest noise.

  • The Lucern Tree by Robin Bliss

    The Lucerne tree in flower White petals floating down Carpeting the pathway, and The front veranda with a sea Of white, white everywhere Coming upon this alba sea As a child; with music in my head Amazed at the ocean of pearl Sitting down in the middle of whiteness Whiteness all around me, whiteness Whiteness…

  • Night Fall In The Countryside

    Night falls behind the village fence Last traces of day, shadows fade Tree lines turn grey and black While the sky host a million stars Quiet evening, sound of water Heard down the waterfalls, by the streamside And from thickets bullfrogs wade Enjoying the fresh and sweet breeze Tree branches play with the wind Soft…

  • Quote on War

    Whoever likes war is not in his right senses and is a lunatic. We must ensure there is no war again. – Sir Joseph Hammond, Ghanaian World War Two Veteran

  • Love Poems: I Celebrate You

  • The Egg, The Coffee Beans and The Potato

    A short story A little boy named John lived in a beautiful home with his parents. One day, his father found him crying and asked if something was wrong. John said meekly, “I have so many problems in life, and talked about his ‘problems’. John’s father patiently listened to him. Then he brought a bowl…

  • Hometown by Peniel Gifted

    That magnificent city Built beautifully Its walls painted in great colours Furnished with happy diamonds Its streets with the unceasing glitters. My hometown The city of the two great hills The city where I feel the cool breeze of nativity Beholding the swaying tulips and smiling sun The love of nature, giving me the mild…

  • Sun rays

    Tall tree canopies, Sun rays filter Morning their phantom

  • Reflection: A Cold World

    An empathetic mindset and love are what we need for a better world. It’s utterly monstrous weather out there. Each time the breeze touches my skin, I shudder and sneeze. I’m cuddled on the bed, clutching a phone in one hand in a dark room, too lazy to read or even find a light. No…

  • Hang out with Njabulo Nkambule from eSwatini

  • Musical Africa: Talking Drum

    The Talking Drum is peculiar to the Yoruba people of West Africa. Musical Africa You will agree with me that Africa is a musical continent. It’s full of sounds and songs. Every tribe and nation has a peculiar musical identity. As dressing and languages differ so do musical instruments. I will like to share a…

  • Morning Sun

    I’m glad to see the rising sun It tells by sight stories unspoken. It paints my curtain perfect green. Divine love woke me to a new start, A new life, something to celebrate. When I gather the curtains To glance through tree lines And green field glittering in the sun, The rays catch my breath,…

  • Poem: Love Conquers

    If dreams are colourless Then love is a magical dream That teaches and encourages, It trusts from the heart Builds bridges over water To bring worlds together True love shared Fear no colour or creed I lay my head On your shoulders Let’s take this love to moments Where all eyes see its beauty

  • Lullaby: Sing for me a Lullaby

    Sing for me dear nightingale Gather your host of voices Rant through the early night Tweet away joyfully from heart Let my ears quiver from your song Let frogs and crickets listen to it To respond with their baritone Sing for the sweet nectar For red roses and hibiscus And the traveling sunlight Tell the…

  • African Proverb: A Young Tree

    A tree is straightened while it is still young – Proverb from Burundi. Meaning: I chose to take this proverb in its literal form because it’s pretty evident that a fully grown tree can’t be transplanted or manipulated in any way. What I mean is that it’s not stressful to try to make a sapling…

  • Night rain on my window

    Night rain upon my window panes While clouds rumble in protest The lightning picture through my curtains And shadows dance away from candlelight

  • Parenting

  • African Proverb: On A Snake’s Ability

    Igbo Proverb: If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood. Origin: A snake is a dangerous reptile. Snake poison can kill an adult in minutes. In Africa, snake bites contribute to deaths. In Igbo land where this proverb originated from, snakes are not toyed with. In some…

  • Racism

    It costs absolutely nothing to be kind Live and Let Live An Igbo (African) proverb goes thus: Let the Eagle perch, let the Kite (bird) perch also. Any that forbids the other from perching let his wings break! We say that as prayers in West Africa because it’s a reminder and belief that all men…

  • Some Lucky Men

    Some men are born to good luck All they do or try to do comes right All their geese are swans All their cards are trumps Toss them which way you will They will always like poor puss alight upon their legs And only move so much the faster

  • Time

    Make hay while it shines This talent of mine… This is one talent I find solace in. It’s an avenue to paint my heart on ink, to play with the soul of nature and record lovely and beautiful memories. In my mind I create a happy and peaceful world; where I live in fine images…

  • Poets Corner: Difference between Wisdom, Knowledge and Education.

    My take on this… It’s generally believed that knowledge is power. Yet many find it difficult to differentiate between wisdom and knowledge. For me knowledge is having the stuff while wisdom boils down to application of the stuff. To differentiate both from education is even a thing of further logic. In my opinion education should…

  • This Day, This Year, This Life By Pam Impson

    So much gone, so much wrong So much sorrow in this song Teary in my isolation Weary in my desperation Panting in my desolation Ranting in complete frustration So much yearning to belong So much is gone, so much is wrong This day It rolled me like a cheap cigar Stale inside a crowded bar…

  • Love Poem: Dream Together

    Faint voices speak, Loud in my mind I look in your eyes It tells sweet stories If I look away It is to smile, in my heart We live beautiful moments, Laughter, peace, kindness, Harmony, playful fights And you, a perfect inspiration; Pouting red lips That reminds of cherries, Hair dancing in the breeze That…

  • Farewell Nkosi, the Black Panther

  • Breathe Again by Njabulo N.

    Breathe again, Like you have just gained yet another chance to live, Life is not promised but experienced and lived. I have grown to be a different person, Different from normal people who do everything like everyone. My life is not the same anymore, I wonder why everyone is worried about it, I no longer…

  • Mary Slessor and The Killing of Twins

  • Quote on Courage

    I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson MandelaAt a time colonial forces and indigenous South Africans fought over land rights and freedoms, a courageous man spoke up for his…

  • Poem: Man and Nature

    It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the Moon in her chariot of pearl. Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, and sweet are the bluebells that hide in the valleys and the heather that blows on the hill. Yet love may…

  • Muse: The Happy Wind

    Poem: The Happy Wind Greet the happy wind, Tell him when I waved My fingers got him bursted When morning dew is upon the tree line The sky is sometimes blue and grass is green Far up the blue horizon the sun shine Birds sing from the trees all morning Yet the happy wind: timid…

  • Quotes on 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…

  • Poem: Sail away

    Evening skies – sparkle of gold, Brewing mills across the clouds, While it may sail to faraway lands.

  • Reflection: Counting the Costs 1

    At times, you need to stop everything you are doing to sit alone and mend your broken wings. Cold evening and a to-do list I sit outside on a cold evening. There’s a community of crickets chirping through the grassland. A gust of wind brushes my face, causing my helpless lamp to sway back and…

  • African Proverb: Be Nice

    Be nice to everyone. You never know who your in-laws are going to be. We won’t know who can be of help tomorrow. Compassion and kindness are great virtues. It can open greater doors! Ponder on this and have a goodnight. 💕

  • Quote on Love

    Of all the magic in the world, none is more powerful than love. …And that’s if we accept that any other thing qualify as magic. Love is a driving force. It can change things; perceptions and imaginations. Great achievements are accomplished through it. Great writers wrote about it. It’s something beautiful to love. Imagine what…

  • Thoughts: I Wonder

    Sometimes it’s hard to stop a rolling stone, but whenever it may roll, it always seems to find its way back home. Brett Boyett Home Forever Dear motherland, I am proud to call you my home. I am reminded of sunset; it shows that it ends where it begins. From tree branches in the hilly…

  • Quotes on Helping Others

    1. Nothing makes life sweeter than making people happy. 2. The people you help today become your soldiers in the battle of life tomorrow. 3. To invest in properties is good, but to invest in people is far better. 4. To make money, make people. 5. Your greatest trophies are the tears you wipe away…

  • Poetry: I’ll Wait

    Love can be crazy Yet I am amused I try to figure the words You pelt me with, When we spoke of love It was zenith of all, everything Days and nights It fell in and out Maybe this was right, I look farther away Towards sunrise A pint of love on my breast And…

  • Folklore: The Hippo and His Seven Wives

    I heard the Wind tell this story Storyteller: Ifochakpii! Audience: Waa!!! Storyteller: Gather my friends. It’s time to tell a story. It’s time also to hear a tale. Gather by the fireside, warm yourselves. Bring the little ones to the center. Keep them more hospitable for the night, and her cold hands are nigh. Sit…

  • Muse: Look in my eyes

    Look into my eyes See how special you are Feel my heart jump with joy And that is because you are here

  • Selflessness

    Someone is an answer to your prayers as you are to others Seasons: Things just don’t happen One beautiful thing about life is: there are seasons for everything so things just don’t happen. Everything happens to serve different purposes. Even in nature there are seasons. There are times for flowers to blossom, time for the…

  • Poem: Twilight

    Beginning and end Light after dark Dark before light Darkened skies With dancing fireflies Breezy evening Joyful moonlight And glittering stars A shepherd’s lore Down in the country Sheep and goats, Green and gold, Patches of life, Water and fire, Dust and wind, Heaven and earth All in fine contrast But in happy unison Shallow…

  • Beirut

  • Night Poem: Stars Glitter

    I watch pretty stars glitter From this fine little window, When night a perfect picture Hung across the wide horizon Fireflies dance around light bulbs Mighty shadows cast upon my paper Distracting a work full of life and art Yet I stare out to behold stars glitter

  • Tender Love by Njabulo N.

    Wasn’t my love enough for you? In my mind I had concluded that you loved only me, I thought you were cut from a different cloth, Like you were not the same like everyone I’ve met. But clearly, I was lying to myself, You loved everybody like a campaigning candidate. I could tell from my…

  • Opinion: Leadership Woes

  • Keeping Valuable Relationships