Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • Try

    I thought about not trying because others failed what I intend trying I compared my style, my methods with the others’ and found theirs better And if I was better than any of them, it was not significant in any way So, I think I am the class bottom However, I must try I must…

  • Night before Christmas

    It was the night before Christmas, Not a thing was heard or seen at first For the cold night was at its worst But three woodcutters walked through the forest Marching joyfully towards home It was cold, terribly cold that no one could make sense of it So the woodcutters held their lamps close to…

  • A Shepherds Song

    I see the golden sun rise far away, Waking the countryside, painting the day The clouds glitter, no amount of gold can define this: The smell of dew on dry clay and the life all around me The Earth is awake and alive, and we must keep her so It is time to march the…

  • Madagascar

      Tell me of the land where the sands meet the waters, Where forests paint the beautiful landscape light green Tell me of the blue skies that illuminate the ocean As birds sing on the soft cloudless horizon!   Tell me the songs that warm the hearts of the villagers, Teach me the…

  • Make love, not war

    I pray for the day Christians and muslims, blacks, whites, Pray together in the opens and the closet I pray for Syria and Yemen, and all innocent souls, That die for causes that is not of their making I pray for the day we throw flowers and not bombs Of a day that we learn…

  • Fantasia 2: A muse

    There’s a land that reminds me of my lover, Of the abundant joy and bliss she brought to me There’s a land full of green parks and hoppers From the tents one can hear the waters fall joyfully There’s a land that floats on the slow-sail river, Traveling with fallen tree leaves, logs and duck…

  • The Light

    There is a light that glows from the inside, wetting the soul with her warmth And from afar the flares burn like sulphur but close to it, it is only very soft Call it whatever you like, it travels in everyone and advocates for the Earth It reminds us all of how dangerous our activities…

  • Dream away

    Your voice wakes the wild nature in me You sing and your lyrics touch my soul I love the moments you looked over your shoulder To catch my stare; as you danced and laughed *** You dress like the rare tulips that grow on our farmyard Fresh and delicate as pink, lively as the green…

  • Love muse

    Loving you feels like the touch of the calm sweet night breeze, Blowing on the open green fields where wild roses grow Loving you feels like a voyage through the wide blue sea, Where dolphins, drift with the wind and whistle their songs Loving you will be a blissful dream come true Such that we…

  • The Rains lullaby

    I can feel your presence each time you flash through the skies Blowing raindrops on my window panes The rain drops beat the drums, you sang wordlessly in support Now I see you draw images behind my cottoned curtains; Sketching trees sometimes and a phantom with huge pitchforks With the rains you came, searching our…

  • Evening of tales under the Mango tree

    Mild breezes welcome the evening As clouds sail, birds fly away No one is happier than the hamlet children For them, it was a time to travel, Time to travel through stories, Time to see places And time to put the days burden off *** Pile of tree leaves serve as seats Children go about,…

  • Muse: Starry Night

    There’s a star, on a traveling adventure, Sailing through the cloud like a phantom Without arms, she sailed against the wind Stopping when she saw men gaze at her Maybe when she stopped, it was to hide herself But the glittering cloud, held many as her So no one could pick her location exactly ***…

  • A lovers song

    I will hype you everyday Twist your curly hair, Sing quietly even when you sleep Write my poetry with my fingers On your bare naked back I will tell you my imaginations, my tales And when we elope… It shall be to the countryside Far away from any town or village Far away from peoples…

  • The Silent hill

    There’s a point where the earth touch the clouds Twists, turns, the land thrusts up to meet the sky By the sides, vegetation stood guard From there the airs will whisper, As the clouds watch quietly When the wind pass in silence

  • Africa!

    The vision I see of your rising, great motherland, It gets me excited and hopeful! Your children spread like that tentacle of the Octopus But one day, some day, You must gather them together As dew cling to the leaves of trees in the morning So do my hope, my faith in you Africa You…

  • Musing: What if?

    What if the hills on the countryside moved when it wills, What if? What if the waters from the ocean shone like gold, What if? What if men can fly like the queer night bats What if? What if beneath a painting there was a quiet monster What if? And what if love was the…

  • A tale of the WildWoods 3: Summer arrives

    When summer finally came, a lot had changed The last snow melted and the sad land woke Grasses started growing, covering the outer earth So those who burrow scrambled out from the dust Soft airs and tidings surround the mountainside Sending sweet emissaries around the valley below Vines, myrrhs, mistletoes and pines sprout happily In…

  • 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 much of harmless weed plants sprouting all about They hurt if one touch them and won’t If one will…

  • A lovers song

    “I will love you even when the tree leaves fall In the winters cold and summers heat I will love you even when the days are gone And when the nights grow even darkest” I submit to you All I have and own I am your servant But I am your lover The nights must…

  • Life in African tropics

    In the beginning, life in the tropical forests made more sense without man’s interest When man was afraid to bother the endless mass of green with fearful bugs and insects ** Strange as it seem, but the green tropical forest is a wonderland So much activity go on here, such that it is a distinct…

  • HealingWithNature: Lone Snail

    A photo shot from Imam Akpabio. Can you feel the tranquility and serenity the image shows? Well, ahead of us is a snail foraging his turf. The little stones must be the hills and the spaces in between his valleys! I must say this is beautiful.

  • Musing: Hollow Heart

    Do you know many who had looked through this heart Saw nothing and left it hollow as it was? But you came and made me sing like a baby You saw the hollow in this heart, and filled it with melody I tap my feet, I call you my wife, you are my perfect rhythm!…

  • The Shepherds Song

    Wild are her songs, wild are her imaginations For in the midst of hungry bleating sheep She could make songs that lift the soul ****** Taste of dew on the morning grass excites the herd So that they call out in ecstatic joy to the shepherd And she, noting the excitement, played hee wooden guitar…

  • September’s Love poem

    Time taught us love and to hold, With same time we grow old All that remain will be memories Of you, me: our happy, sad memories

  • Poetale: The house outside the city, Part 1

    In a tiny house on the hills of the East Far, far away from any town or village A poor man and his seven little sons lived, The house door opened straight on to the hillside And all around were moorlands and huge stones And swampy hollows, never a house nor much human activity Wherever…

  • Muse: Imaginations

    First, it is good to know everyone has got the ability to imagine Whether you keep thoughts of failure or dream of a great win, All is possible and our minds must accept that which it is fed with Now if you must fly watch the Cranes, watch also the clouds, If you must swim…

  • August evening rain

    There’s this joy that comes with event of an evening rainfall It brings life to the playground so the children make most if it Also, it softens the days fatigue, putting mild and cozy air in the heat The rain water serve as a natural bath, which washed garments and bodies The children dance joyfully…

  • Musing: The Hills top

    I stand at the top, savoring this freedom Oh hear me, hear me sweet Freedom! I see the happy white clouds sail away, I see the black hawks circle above me, I hear the sound of talking, of machines, of the wild, altogether! I see mother Natures great painting tablet, I see the town and…

  • The cry of Harvest

    Harvest seasons are pretty lovely times For wheat turn pale, then glitter like gold And roses grow even redder with the heat If the strong winds stayed a little more time Then the lawn will be filled with stray fruits; So birds with rodents will make a dish of some At each sunset, the farmers…

  • Musing: Singina likes my Tales

    “I remember your funny and lovely tales”, she yawned She continued: “You complete my day with your poems!” At first I wasn’t sure of what I did exactly,  But as a shepherd I find pleasure writing away Telling of my travels, of my long days and how it ended Now, tomorrow I shall tell you…

  • The Hills of Isuikwuato

    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…

  • My birthday! 

    Is it not amazing I was born on 8.24AM of August 8th, 198X? I have all 8’s. Happy Poetic Birthday to me! 

  • The Path

    Many walked the path, many might never return Before the days go dry, the town will be half empty Many sought the way to gold, with so much energy That the essence of life itself is lost to the cause The outsides of the town show signs of wealth;  Just by the gates the green…

  • I am loved

    I remember the first time we crossed and how we looked at each other It seemed the whole world stood for a minute in my light brown eyes My heart beat drums when I sit close to you, my mind takes flight, away The world is dead to me, I keep wondering how happy I…

  • Under the Tree shed

    Smell of humus and dusts mixed with moist brought the joyful crowd,  Small mounds of Earth with shrubs rising from them surround the tree To the coming night the evening breeze surf about, grazing her flock As soft fragrance from the nearby roses scent the arena, gathering bees Evenings are welcomed with smiles for it…

  • August mornings

    I have seen tree leaves twist in the air, as they dance to meet the earth Brown, some red, some still green; but all rushing to touch the ground The floor is littered, a gathering of old and fresh tree leaves lay on the dirt And why they fall, they won’t say, but when they…

  • Isuikwuato

    One wakes to the call of Nature everyday, with the sun ushering the day Huhuhu-lalala-kiki, all sort of songs welcome the sun’s golden streaks Crickets quiz, wasps and bees buzz, snakes hiss away, the clock ticked Familiar sounds echo, strong wind rushing through the high tree lines Underneath the vegetation, silent waters flow, but we…

  • The Countryside

    Evening airs bring blessings to the sleepy hamlet The cute hut chimneys churn out thick smoke And the smoke scatter once they meet the wind The smoke suggest cooking food; fresh cabbage With cooked brown beans and fried Salmon Which was caught in the early morning, Just off the hamlets quiet but great rivulet The…

  • Poetale:  The Traveler and the Witch’s lair

    There came a traveler weak and weary,  Fatigued with the heavy bag on his back And many tiny stones inside his shoes In his bag he carried a guitar for he could play well He fainted slowly, clinging closely to his life,  Hoping to see an inn or a well for water For he had…

  • Muse: The Rising Sun

    When mornings come, it blankets the Earth with her mist Then the bees must search for nectar as the flowers wait,  The green and yellow hoppers stay in the sun, patient  Eating the full of the land; munching at the wheat Unconcerned, if the farmer will have enough to harvest Then the warmth of life…

  • The Castle called a man’s Heart

    Have you heard or seen the dens or prisons where free men were kept?  If not, let me tell you about it, about the little details which no man told First, those men put their trusts in imaginations and false hopes  Clinging to the mirror, others casted for them for self discovery The colors they…

  • Lafia

    Lafia when I looked up I saw you, I saw life I saw tomatoes squashed and gutted by the roadside And some tall mallams washing their legs and hands,  With their faces to the sun, preparing for the evening prayers,  I raised my eyes further, towards the East And lo, the route to home was trooping…

  • Nature’s Forest

    Take me to the quiet streamside, where no mans traverse, disturbs Take me to the land, where my eyes see the beauty of your love The sound of swooshing forest trees bring peace  Actually there is no name for such queer tranquility,  The amusement provided by the choral forest enchants And the sight of slow…

  • Biafran Babies

    I heard your songs soar through the thick forests, through the fields But the wind hid the song, your voice and your face from the world You were told to keep quiet, but if the hunger won’t let you from crying out Daada will have to drop you, so that the soldiers won’t find our…

  • Folk: the Warrior’s song

    They call me Dike, yes! I ran the thorny forest barefooted, Even as the rough hills stood  I danced in the strong heavy rain When the thunder graced the storm Dike na Dimgba! Odogwu!! The one who fetched firewood from the land of the spirits And threw the deity’s messenger in a wrestling match I…

  • Colors

    Colors are very beautiful They tell a lot about all; And a little about this and that The ocean, the sun The mice that live across The busy street roads Or the golden corn field And the wild, the deserts And the ice of Antarctica Colors describe our feelings Red with rage The royal purple……

  • Amuse: The Hen’s tale

    First she walks for a while and then turns to stare… She cackles, laughing at the appearance of these slim aliens Wandering about, aimlessly, pushing all manner of carts  And wearing all manner of fleshy things that smell awful One thing is peculiar: these humans change their skins each day, And it is unclear why…

  • Blood in the fields

    Blood is in the streams, Blood is in the fields, Blood no longer flow in my system Blood flow happily in lands Where they once swore to protect I thought that blood was meant to flow in me But when I looked down I saw blood trickle out of me I searched for a stream…

  • Night Rain

    The night rain came swift with the surging wind, These two brothers raced through cold and cloud, Then the town center was left deserted, the road lonely But in the midst of it all, the neighborhood slept happy.

  • The Hamlets’ songs

    Tonight I write of a beautiful countryside Nested in the forests, at the foot of hills in the East, A quiet place that taught me the songs of Nature And fed me with fruits fresh from all blooming trees! * In the morning, fine birds gather to build nests Their strong choral concert disturb the…