Okechukwu’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Author: Oke Iroegbu

  • Merry Christmas from California

    Merry Christmas dear friends. This will be my first Christmas holiday away from home. It’s been a long holiday so far. The ever-busy streets of UC Berkeley have become a ghost town. The roads are empty and bare of cars. One can confidently stand to take pictures on the roads. The fine houses and magnificent…

  • Bay Area Tide

    Dry airs float off these hillsGloomy weather, sun paradiseThe Bay Area tide refreshes allWindy streets and solemn nights When grey clouds gather aboveTree leaves fall on the roadTwists turns to meet the floorAnd the wind takes them out Lines of streetlights glowThere glow bounce off the tarmacMists draw strange caricaturesThe darkness consuming those

  • Reflection: Evening Walk

    Birds tweeting, squirrel foraging, and Berkeley’s hilly and beautiful landscapes, coupled with the scent of fresh grass – of mints possibly, remind me of home. The roadside is littered with green grass, and up the steps, wild turkeys pick the ground for worms. I saw a tiny bird circling the foot of a tree, which…

  • Sharing the Light, One Candle at a Time

    Here is a short poem I wrote to start today’s post, I call it, This Light. This light of peace I pass to you Pass this to another behind or by your side May the world see the beauty of our love Let my light shine forth in all honesty May your light shine forth…

  • Ubuntu – I Am Because We Are

    International House is a laboratory for a new kind of experiment – the day-to-day practice of international fellowship among men and women. – John D. Rockefeller Jr., I-House Benefactor It’s up to us, the residents, to continue building on this legacy of love, understanding, justice, and peace. – Okechukwu Iroegbu, I-House resident 2022-2023 A popular…

  • Sunrise

    Sunrise reminds us all of new beginnings Sunrise reminds me of a new startThe gloom and cold are goneI hear the birds sing once againAnd the squirrel’s cheerful sport

  • December

    Dear Friends, It’s almost time for the holidays! It’s nearly time for rest from school work, and December started with mild rain. The soothing and soft sound of rainfall outside and the quiet morning hours remind me how dependent man is on his environment. There’s joy in simple things like the sound of rainfall or…

  • Quote on Gratitude

    Gratitude erases negativity – Steve Harvey

  • Feel It

    Love is the silenceThe smiles, the textsThe stare, the nudgeThe walks, the careThe moan, the helpThe wink of the eye Presence or absenceLaughter or tearsMoonlight or sunshineA benevolent balance It exists somewhere in the universe It will find youOr you will find itNever push or pull itBe calm, relax, and feel Needless to learn to…

  • Many Tongues

    Power in Diversity Each time I wait in the elevator, I listen to people who speak several languages. I untie myself from the burden of the English, allowing my senses to drown in the joy of different tongues. The simple flow, melody, intonation, and accents bring me alive. It’s a great feeling living in a…

  • Quotes on Success

    Success is a journey. It only takes a collection of little steps to get there. Never let your success get to your head. Failure is part of success. So keep going. Keep taking those steps, and it will all start making sense. Refuse to back down. Resilience is key.

  • My Friend – Johnny Drille

    This song explains many things about true Friendship. Enjoy the classic piece from Nigeria 🇳🇬

  • Happy November from UC Berkeley

    Dear Friends, Do you believe in angels? Well, I do. And I am happy to tell the world that they come in human form too. I find no words to describe this scholarship and school community. The love and commitment to making other people’s lives meaningful amaze me. I see the reason why Berkeley is…

  • Quote: Gratitude

    I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude. Brene Brown

  • Quote: Many Colors, One People

    Our differences make us uniquely beautiful

  • Don’t Give Up

    Dreams are like songs. Keep singing; keep it alive. Dance if you may; spice it up. Don’t stop singing; never give up.

  • Gratitude & Blindness (Poem)

    Gratitude You know it’s human nature sometimes to forget where it all began. There’s a beginning to everything. Remembering the little beginnings helps trump unnecessary egos. Everybody was once a kid; some were poor, sick, this or that, but never consumed by the vicissitudes of life. Even when some things turn good or bad, they…

  • Berkeley’s Night (Fleet Week)

    The wind whips awaySoft chill on bare fleshEvening – end of the day,Start of something else Gardening it remindsMoonshine it bringsTo a grateful shepherdMiles away from home Night is a quiet companionBut weekends are differentMan and his imagination,The best team ever known Clouds rumble aboveTo unnatural flightsThe sky is very busySo is Berkeley’s night The…

  • Hilly Berkeley

    Dear friends, The image above is of wood in Berkeley, California. And yes, there are deer and wild cats in the woods. In such an environment, reptiles – snakes and lizards are abundant. There are numerous bird species. Some species are new to me or I have read about them in books or seen them…

  • October 1

    It’s a new month and a new beginning for everyone. Remember to show kindness in any way you can. Let’s spread the love around. Peace. Happy Independence Day Nigeria.

  • Bodega Bay (Images and Poetry)

    Images Retreat at Bodega Bay, California Poetry: The Oceans Call Out The oceans call out to meBlue waves smash into rocksAnd whites waves throw up their hands in joy,Jubilating on the harmony between the ocean and the wildThe darkness on the ocean floor is frightening But sea lions swim in its calm currents, birds flap…

  • UC Berkeley (Settling Down)

    California is exactly what I dreamed it would be The clean streets, diversity of people, and hills represent nature, all in an inspirational school setting lined by joy-bringing trees. Where there are trees, be sure to catch a glimpse of birds that add their musical presence to the scenery. From my room, I can hear…

  • America

    Dear friends, Forgive me, I arrived at UC Berkeley from Frankfurt yesterday after sitting on a plane for 13 hours. Timezones changed. Unpacking, registrations, and preparing for classes took their toll on me. As part of my apology I’ll upload a song I’m fond of. Well, I’m energized, I’m empowered and I’m loved. You know,…

  • Frankfurt

    I felt my spirit rise with the gliding aeroplane And now my dear friends, the journey has started. I’m in Frankfurt, heading to the US. I’m going to start my masters degree in the US. Stay tuned.

  • Silent Thoughts

    silent thoughtsa gentle nightmemories sportand pillows softa starry twilightcheerful heartsto silence listenharmony knownbeginning and end

  • Image: A Giraffe Family

  • Nature’s Circus

    1 When you call, your sound rent through the windWhispers, songs of the wild, emissary of mother NatureYou send birds, they ‘caw-caw‘, they fly the blue cloudsMaking the skies their tuft, and you: their leisure 2 Green trees, red flowers, purple feathers, all in perfect unisonYou call to your own, you Baobab, Bee and Flamboyant,…

  • September

    When you feel this morning’s aura gather around your limbs, spread your wings, and fly! Dear friends, it’s September 1, I wish you all a beautiful new month.

  • Quote: Home

    Home is a warm hug

  • Night Poem: Brewing Storm

    Dark cloudsAnd lightningSilhouettesDogs barkBurdened roofsWary inhabitantsDancing curtainsUnruly candlelightNeighbors yawnFaint pillow talksWhistling windChilly breezesAll waitingFor a brewing storm

  • Joke: Lions and Buffaloes

    If you get caught in between a lion and buffalo, run towards the lion. Both the lion and you will be running from the buffalo!

  • Daybreak

    Getting up to faint bird tweetsWhen golden shine sifts through curtainsAnd morning airs – so delightful and swiftWander through this little town I heard the older folk greetThey talk of night’s heavy rainBut as the storm is now pastA mild drizzle cheers the lawn Sunlight warms my room and townEach cosy day is a blessing…

  • Quote on Africa: A Whole Story

    Africa is much more than a setting, it’s a sentiment, sensation, symphony, sustenance and everything in-between spirited and spectacular. It’s a whole story, not completely told yet.

  • Podcast!

    I’m looking to start podcasting soon. This has been in my mind for years. I think it’s the right time! Stay tuned for more details.

  • Treetop

    This smell of wet clay when watching the sunrise, Clumsy tree leaves peeling streaks of weak sun rays, With the cold breeze brushing against my skin Remind me of grace and magnificence, And fully discloses where the sunshine hides I love the feeling of being held above the ground On a peaceful day staring at…

  • The Broken Heart by Saeed Rukayya

    The Broken Heart This greatest dream of mine has been shattered,I fall and stumble into the dark hole,Grasping for light in a place of no shadows, Oh, my heart aches. I watch salty water trickle down my cheek,Thinking of how I’ll stitch this broken heart,Suddenly, his voice echoed in my head,Bringing back the unwanted memories,…

  • Footprints

    Footprints pattern quiet imagesOn soft sands, immaculate as whiteWith time images are blurredAnd other times widespreadTracks stamped on grains of sandDistort the marks of regular sand But tracks may live for the moment or forever

  • A Prayer for the World

    “On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.” — Michel de Montaigne Lifelong LearnerMy birthday is a collection of 8’s and its multiples. It’s a unique collection of 8’s and I’m delighted each time I see my birthday calendar. Since my last birthday, I’ve learned a lot. And…

  • Evening Voices & Hues

    I hear the wind howl through gapsWhispering, solemnly to the approaching duskI hear your name being sung, by fading rhymeOne hundred bird voices; flying towards sunset Green, and the taste of seasoned vegetablesPurple hues, of flowers and her fragrancesBlack and pink, of waddling pigeons, dressedHuhuhu-ing from the lonely rooftops Orange is sunset, a shade of…

  • August Poem

    I have seen tree leaves twist in the air, as they dance to meet the earthBrown, some red, some still green; but all rushing to touch the groundThe floor is littered, a gathering of old and fresh tree leaves lay on the dirtAnd why they fall, they won’t say, but when they do, they seem…

  • August Again

    August AgainAh, August again! My month of birth is one of sunshine and glamour! How fast times fly. It’s already 12 months but last year’s August was a little bit dramatic for me. A few days after my birthday I started filing graduate school applications, one in Nigeria, and two abroad. Unfortunately, the academic strike…

  • Twinkling Stars

    There are few stars out thereTwinkling across the horizonTo shine a special light uponMan and hills he calls home

  • Quote on Being Yourself

    I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me…

  • Muse: Sunshine

    When you smile you open up my heart When you are not aroundIt feels like no sunshineHold my handLet us be like one

  • Africa: Golden Sunrise

    I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy – Ernest Hemingway

  • Rainmaker’s Poem

    When the green neighbourhood dance to the call of the wild oneDark are the skies; darker even are the clouds that stalk the rainThe wind came swift and slow; rushing at times as petals of flowers danceTo the music of the coming rain; to lullabies that made heads bounceAnd to the Forest people, to the…

  • Stormy Night

    Why is the storm angry?I heard tiny fireflies askThis evening of barrage,Of tempest and darkness The rain bothers me tooShe flirts with my vision Hurls my soft curtains upAnd annoys the candlelight Even the gloom is ephemeralBut window panes growl and shakeEach time the clouds rumble outside

  • Image: Bedia, Obudu

    I love to share this piece of Nature with you. This is Bedia, a serene village in Obudu located in Cross Rivers State in Nigeria. Obudu is home to mountain ranges and the popular Obudu cattle ranch.

  • July 2022: New Month Muse

    Free and fresh as air are weThose who live where Nature sportWaterfalls dabble same rhythm this mornMother Nature wash her garments in the steam To cloudy dawn is a pleasant songVocalized by a multitude of birds,Playful monkeys or lazy reptilesBeneath this serpentine woodlandTo peaks overlooking the valesThe path may be lost in thick fogBut in…

  • Reflection: Favourite Time

    Sunset is my favourite time of the day. Not only are evenings made for telling stories but are moments of self-reflection and truth. It’s the sun’s way of reminding everyone of the need to take some break from the day’s hustle. In Africa, it’s a time of rest. Each time I travel to the countryside,…