Okechukwu’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • 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 have 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! Ringing…

  • The Shepherd’s Song

    Her songs are wild, her imagination untamed. Amid the hungry, bleating sheep, she can create songs that lift the soul. ****** The taste of dew on the morning grass excites the herd, causing them to call out in ecstatic joy to the shepherd. Noticing the excitement, she plays her wooden guitar, caressing the instrument and…

  • 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 can imagine Whether you keep thoughts of failure or dream of a great win, All is possible, and our minds must accept that which they are fed with Now if you must fly, watch the Cranes, watch also the clouds, If you must swim, watch the Barracuda and…

  • 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 turns pale, then glitters 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

  • The Hills of Isuikwuato

  • My birthday! 

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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 face from the world You were told to keep quiet, but if the hunger won’t let you from crying out Daada had to drop you, so that the Federal soldiers won’t find our hideout…

  • 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

  • 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…

  • Muse: Strings of Love

    Will you know true quietness when you see one? Sure, I have heard the Pines sing a decade old song I have felt the touch of Agape’s own hands on my soul, I have watched as the waters rushed thru the stream And I have listened to my heart play strings of love * Your…

  • Muse: The Storm

    When the clouds turned greyish black with the ending day, What we didn’t notice was that the night came with a price And the price was a storm which we were unprepared for We dined, we enjoyed the sweet airs that the breezy night brought But when the first crack came; it was a shocker…

  • Another Tale of the WildWoods

    i Once upon a time, the night was cold and the snow lay thick on branches, On the forest lands, the road and the pathways leading to the village The cold gripped the whole community of fauna and flourishing flora, As the day ended, the night became alive with howls, hoots and screeches ii The…

  • Ina murna (I’m excited) 

  • Call me Summer 

    Call me summer; my days are sunny and hot,  And in the forage you shall find sweet fruits ripe.  I give tastes of fresh salmon cooked in coconut oil And a drink of wine to toast to the mild island heat  * Call me summer for I plait the hairs of the palm trees I…

  • The rainfall

    i.  See the rain drops fall,  Throwing a rain party for all!  The clouds wailed this evening But to the children it was fun ii.  Under the rain, children danced Enjoying the freedom that it brought  Lightning shadows on windows, mild cold But men hid themselves under the blankets iii.  The clouds sang, the wind…

  • Tales from the Giraffe

  • Flying to summer 

    There’s a symphony of joy!  Roaring up the bright skies,  Emissaries of the aging day Graceful flights to Africa!  * Floating above the countryside  Leaving the fresh, green fields Above the endless forests Keeping hope ahead * Each journey is an unknown promise,  Somewhere between joy and heartache.  But they must fly, the fair geese…

  • Death of a masquerade

    When the cocks wake the clan in the morn with their calls I remember you, your memories are like my room walls  First, I must congratulate you for not dying completely  For telling us why we must abandon the village for the city,  For leaving the clans people with only strands of what you did, …

  • Musing:  The Railroad 

    Iron metal Crisscrossing  Dragging through the dust Like the snake, iron snake.  Tracks lay ahead as far as our eyes go,  Crawling through the urban and rural;  The countryside with her quiet forest  The township with her hustle bustle  The clouds are free of you They watch your snake lanes Cockroach through rocks and tunnels…

  • The Legend of Wawadomea

    Verse 2: Cannibals of the East 2 The sunset drew a picture Which had lived with me For all my younger life A strange uproar heartfelt It was aye, very strange That aye, I mean I Will be amongst this lot This people forsaken kind of clan Living the life of a sea pirate Out…

  • Folktale: The Animal King

    Gather now; come closer Warm your hands, sit near the fire It is a cold evening. I have a folktale for you, And I hope it prepares everyone for a good sleep. Ifochakpi! Waa!! Once upon a time In a land far away Across seven rivers And seven hills Lived a clan of animals Then…

  • The Pathway

    Maybe I am lost, lost in the quiet Plantain forest Following a trail of leaves, to a place where I know not Maybe I am found, searching for my way to the top Walking hopefully to a place where better tree ropes drop. * Maybe the path led to the dreaded Crocodile River Or to…

  • Folk: Under the Mango tree

    1 Breezes and dreams are gifts of Nature to the hardworking villagers,  After a days heavy toil in the fields of corn, yam and sweet cassava The men gather to drink the palm wine in the inn located by the mango tree,  Heavy talks lead to soft talks as the beer sank into the days…

  • Three musings:  Evening, wet Earth and Love

  • I Dream

    I dream Of you You I knew not…  1 I see the smoke mold your face,  I feel your fingers pull my face softly away To the sight where rivers met and fought I feel the breeze whisper your names,  Excitement won’t let me keep memory of it And when I look up, it was…

  • Natures Tale: The Sun rays

    * Take a walk in the woods,  Dive into the envelope of tall tree branches Admire the tents that Nature erected Savor the teasing of fresh airs And watch the sun rays streak through the tree leaves 1 The canopy hides the shrieks and tweets  Of birds and rodents  Creepy amphibians croak out their hearts…

  • Joy

    Your song echo’s in my mind Cascading into soft musings Dancing in my heart,  I stare without words But my hands tap away with joy

  • Dead ivory 

    First it was horror,  Watching a breath simmer quietly away Staring at the sight that her memory must stay And then, then the full reality sets in Today the useless tusk must rot with the carcass The body a meal to billions of worms, But the body and tusk, both are gone, wasted  Tears are…

  • Evening Storm

    Now the wind has come to announce the rains coming,  Baskets flew up, rooftops shrieked, dogs ran about And the community waited, for a storm was growing,  The nights grew darker, pitch like the face of charcoal At first, the moon had disappeared without trace The clouds forming a strong ring of bully about him…