Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • The Hideout

    Only voices speak now, wind surge bring their words Birds chatter up the trees, nothing but quiet silence Dews hidden on tree leaves fall, tapping into a mock pool While the bass-throated toad grunt softly at the dancing tree leaves Sometimes the tree leaves fall in circles, gathering solemnly The wind pushing them about, at…

  • The Forest

    1 You call to me, tonnes of sound whispering through the wind Calling me, singing songs of the wild, emissary of Nature You send the birds, they ‘caw-caw’, they fly the heavily blued cloud They make the skies their tuft, everything in you: their leisure 2 Green trees, red flowers, purple feathers, all in perfect…

  • Sunset: Ride of Nature

    1 I see you ride with the clouds, hiding your face from mine Blushing before the endless firmaments, resting from the day You have carved a wall of silver triangle upon heaven And upon the midst of the oceans of floating clouds  2 To the ends of the dying day you created a memory,  Streaks…

  • Musing: Countryside 

                                                                                              1 I am hidden in the thickly wooded forest land Tucked…

  • Morning Poem

    Lavenders,  gardens, the fair butterfly Gold, sun rising across the blue sky Quietness, serene green forest, birds calling Yawn, a kick and high hopes waking The warmth of the sun, glittering across the fields Buzzing bees, smooth sailing airs, some wildlife Smell of burning food, hawks hunting for food in the hamlet Warm airs rush…

  • Rainmaker Tales, the first

    When the green neighborhood dance to the call of the wild one Dark are the skies; darker even are the clouds which stalk the rain The wind came swift and slow; rushing at times as petals of flowers dance To the music of the coming rain; to lullabies that made heads bounce And to the…

  • Rain on the Window 

    I love the sound of the rain when it hits the windows When the multitude descend down from the Heavens Splattering, hitting the Earths crust, smashing the clay  Throwing up sweet scents, one unaccustomed to man The sounds create a regular rhythm which sings a lullaby Soothing are the rains words, mild are her amazing…

  • Your eyes

    I call you Natures finest, nothing stands touching but your pretty eyes It melts the body and the soul,  it remind me of the wild and of untamed love It is like the Summer sun whose glow shine upon yellow wheat fields It is the touch of the Suns gold which sprays her tentacles upon…

  • Muse: Morning in the rain season

    Here has become something else without much of the sun The wind takes her toil, she dances about with no care When the South forge towards the cold rainy season The queer climate of the evening is seen in the morning The mildness, softness of the wind makes all, everything cold, Even when the sun…

  • Sunrise in Enugu

    Alas the sun rise above the clouds Without the mild weather all seem hot Above the hills, greened with vegetation And roof tops, which brown is tanned The clouds blue upon the long firmament Draw very friendly and smiling apparitions One that will definitely see the sun set Birds fly, trees swoosh, the airs sing…

  • A muse: God’s Love

    Songs of the night, sweet lullabies for the days toil Messages from Heaven, refined touch of God’s goodness Whistling from the neighboring pines and wide eyed owls All call out to the quiet night, strange, quietly hopeful Dreams are cut out on plates of wet marble Left to dry out in the open sun, like…

  • Musing: The howling wind

    I hear the wind howl through the gaps, Through the minute holes which stayed in the walls Pushing, hissing it went, pushing the books on my laps Turning the pages without my consent, winning it all The wind disturb the happy quiet night Making the room look like a party hall While I tried gathering…

  • Tudun Amba, Lafia

    1 Sprawled across a fertile land, On a hill overlooking a quiet river Where the rains come once in a while And when it does, it is a fine luxury Trees stand, here and there Occurring once upon a place Grasses are seldom seen, the sand most often The palmwine* taste absolutely sweet But in…

  • Musing: Very Hello

    I wondered if I said hello If I would get a response Thinking of you is all I do Wait, listen to my heart call out to you Listen to my unsung songs ask for a dance Let me see your shy pout, this thing about you And your fine eyes as they lovingly bounce…

  • The Shepherds Tale

    Lonely stars filled the cloudy night Crickets quizzed behind the rocks But the lonely Shepherd stayed awake Watching the glittering from the star light Listening to the bleating of sheep, his lullabic songs Sniffing wet and mild airs that came from the lake He lays on his soft pillow of wool Wrapping his arms about…

  • When the Sun rises

    I find you fascinating with your smile, The way your fine mouth curves, The color of your simply big eyes And the look you have when you laugh I look away, to hopes which I keep Yet dreams of You and I in the field Disturb my quietness, my sleep. Am I sad or glad,…

  • Musing: Lazy Day

    Tossed about, is my big head Weary from nothing, lazy mind I took flight in the light wind Wetting my eyes in the clouds And the quietness was so loud I slept, not sleep, reverie Forgetting that I must eat I woke, trying to be free  But even then I felt crazy Nothing wants me…

  • Sunset

    Clouds float, birds fly away A family of rodents rush home The airs dry, so ends the day But the night was just starting The wind quietly blow about Trees welcome the disturbance Heavens Providence, fine sun set Happy times, sweet melodies The dark parts of the firmament Reminds of the travelling sun Going, moving…

  • July, 2017

    July, Sweet breezes, mild rain Nature’s healing tune,  The sun rise thru the hills Painting the whole land gold Dreamy feels of the poets will Fall into circles, flatly bold A happy morning comes, shy Across the fine horizon  New beginnings beckon to the skies When clouds flew to oblivion Welcome July, Heavens gift Send…

  • Remind me of the Rain

    Remind me of the Rain

    Remind me of the Rain When it came crashing down Upon the peaceful and mild Earth Remind of the run… The dances we do in the storm The fun we had when we could Remind me of this natural shower The taste of water straight from Heaven Of the feeling of oneness with mother Nature

  • Nature’s Ride

    Nature’s Ride

    Crisscross, up and down Gross side, rise and fall The greens shine in the sun Blur skies when it will Sweet breezes, morning fragrances Upon the fine Clement weather, Daring birds plunge to catch the fishes In all, Nature is left in her wonder

  • Dear June

    Dear June, The sounds of time revealed me to your music The touch of your soothing skin, strong but mild I stand love lost, wandering in the forests wild For you; my acquiantance, my love, my all

  • Muse: Setting sun

    Your pretty grey eyes sing Your beauty, sweetly divine When all ends, when we win With our backs to the setting sun

  • Natures Poem

    Tasty sops Golden sunshine Pretty flowers Buzzing bees All rent the words in me They define your love I see

  • Muse: Love

    Times change but in your fine eyes I see A million reasons proving you are true, You, your sweet love has changed me And in all I like to be I am given to you

  • Lullaby, The Winds

    When the humble evening quarreled with the travelling day It turned out not to be wise, for the aftermath brought grim dismay The aftermath, a heavy storm came riding on her way She pulled stuff along, anything that went astray Tearing, pushing against the curtained doors and windows Flirting with the wind, so that the…

  • Amuse: I

    The sun set behind me I see my shadows in front of me It was just evening fast approaching I was a traveler known to myself Running from the world, living in my own I walk the hard way, to come back for more another day Though trying to cut of every dismay felt, I…

  • Two Musings; Your smile and African nights

    1. Your Smile Your smiles are wonderful, they tickle my soul It takes me to heights of love, brings me to joy When you smile, you remind me of the Rose The parting of your red lips a memory to behold In your beautiful warm smile I find an embrace It spoke of speeches untold,…

  • Muse: Your Love

    Your Love is like the sweet grape wine The taste, a mixture of black liquid in steel A banquet as one made when the Kings dine And to explain it naturally, it is unreal

  • Muse: Midnights

    Midnights are caricatures of dreams Like the quick mist upon the morning Licking the forest tree lines and city skylines Sometimes it stands like a smoke phantom with a dagger And mouth wide agape as like a dying strangled cockerel Sometimes they come airy, with mild words, softer Maybe with some rain, which makes all…

  • Soul of Poetry

    ” Poetry haunts my soul Poetry flies thru the thickets, On a hot desert drive Daring the mamba to come dance With the cunny hawks hovering the sky” 1. Masked tribesmen bother the Lions sleep, huuthuut- hututu Down the thickets of the bushland strange music of the birds play They sing, they say… Wai-oo, wai-oo…

  • Teach my Heart

    Reach my hands Help me stand firm Draw me close to Your embrace Let me see the beauty of Yout Love Teach my heart To do the needful To slay not time in any way But to master the seasons of wealth Touch my words That I may speak only wisdom Let my lips heal,…

  • Tree Leaves Falling

    Now the tree leaves fall before us, dancing with the wind they somersault Time flies, memories fade, goodness lives and the day goes spent The tree leaves fall beside us, with the wind she danced, possessed, carefree While her brethren watched her swirl about, with the flirty wind on the tree The tree house the…

  • Musing: Ke’di’ke

    My heart dances… Why it rejoices, I knew little Love, so heart warming, Love, so unconditional, Precise, Concrete Concise, Complete Meanwhile thoughts of it Listened to the heart As it played out a beat Music so strange, so sweet My heart rent drums, ke-di-ke And letting my music fade away

  • Musing: Quiet nights

    Quietly the night simmer away like the puff on a smokers cigarette Darkness envelop the dying day for the golden sun was long set Hot are the airs that blow this evening and quietly from my little closet My ears lay low, humbly listening to the barking dogs on the city outskirt Night birds, insects…

  • Musing: Candle Light

    Night falls Sleep calls My candle light dance, hovering madly before me Careless of its nakedness, careless of her waywardness Yet there was very little wind here, rather a swift breeze Coming now and then, but the candle light danced The corner of the room stood, darkened behind me My silhouette forming a union with…

  • A Shepherds Lullaby

    Another evening, another night The day is gone fast asleep All about is darkness, moonless Safe from stars, up and white Which shone upon the sheep And upon the Shepherds stress Always, it is airy in the country The folklore is the peoples joy Now and then, the bard came For boys and girls, it…

  • Three Musings: Poetry, Walk in my Dreams and My Tree House Library

    1 Poetry Records; minutes of past and fun memories flood in, sad and happy Creating; nothing but me again and again, I rather be me still Poetry: one beautiful happy thing that gladdens me It dances in my soul, it is much my own, my freewill 2 Walk in my Dreams Yes, you told me…

  • Sweet Breezes

    Sweet breezes, heavens ride to and fro, home and wild By the town and countryside surge of fresh air, quick, mild Sweet breezes, soaring scentless like the fair English countess Immaculately dressed, spotless dancing, joyful- happily remorseless

  • The moon and night plays

    Yells, cries of children disturb the nights silence In the moonlight they dance, they play in the distance Casting shadows upon the lonely tree’d pathway Tumbling on sands, caring not for neither man nor scorpion They make figures, people and tall castles of clay Happily they yell, desiring nothing under the queer moon Meanwhile the…

  • The African Dawn

    ** A slope of rounded hills Black against the horizon Threatening the sun with its fierce thrust With thin clouds streaking across the sky ** The clouds underbellies glow reddish hue The morning warmth fighting the heady moon Wide plains stretched, savannah grass paradise Sometimes lonely trees stand with the yellow grass Ancient, raw, the…

  • An African Lullaby

    Come closer, come hear the song I must sing this night Come let us sit under the mango, let us enjoy the moon light, The sweet breeze that seem like that of the quiet riversides Which flows freely, running in peaceful haste thru the wild The cold day took her toil on our strength But…

  • Art of the Mind

    Colors are exotic, beautiful when they are seen and ‘felt’ Shadows- shades, the blue skies and the sun when she set Wandering bees, yellow and black buzzing about The black wasp making holes by the wood post Camels stand like mad men who either forgot themselves or their ways On the sands, come views of…

  • Amuse: February Harmattan

    Harbinger of Sahara news, king of the queer dust I hail you Your entourage of heavy sand storms and dunes Display her works of art on our glass windows and faces You give us wonderful attire, a ghostly look We wonder, we make guesses of why you love the dust She paints everything; flowers, careless…

  • Musing: Sweet and Sour

    Bent, folded I returned to my own self Baking in the euphoria of failed love itself Shivers accompany thoughts, rented worries Revived just to welcome the sad, old self Moments are lost when smiles were love, When winks, faces said how much I cared Transform me back, if I have no soul at all Let…

  • A muse: Sunset

    Shadows Fall behind the mud huts They paint soulful images, Like the web tent of a black widow Hanging like a carefree skeleton And the brown stains from hands Old or fresh which design the walls Silhouettes Fall behind the palm trees They draw strange figures, One like the village masquerade which dance heartily on…

  • February

    Sold to the warm white clouds and suns heat, To the golden hue, shared across the firmaments Across the fields where grows the yellow wheat Came a new born, a new beginning, a new month To the East and West, to the North and the South It came, striving, growing, standing, blest February retells stories…

  • A Muse: When morning comes

    When morning came Fresh was the flowers smell Through the window it came And over the little well That sit lonely each day To where my body lay When the morning came The clouds woke from sleep And the sun doing the same Dew dance off, early birds sip Fine pockets of white Heavens own…

  • Ina Murna

    The song on my lips are ones of rejoicing and dancing Come don’t mind the sand storm that bother our gathering My voice is not enough to sing, come join me make merry See the green fields and fine birds have no sorrow, no worries Smile the whole world waits to hear your tale Do…

  • Lullaby: Moonshine

    ”Where there is shine, there is a way…” Take a walk through the pathways that lead to the village center Pass the heavily treed garden of sour grapes and locust bean And the ever singing Pines that border the town from the forest Upon the skies, like a print of gold on the darkened grey…