Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: Africa

  • Sunlight – Poetale of Gratitude

    Why am I so happy to see the sunrise and smell her sweet fragrance? I may not explain exactly, but this is why. Before now, I slept like a log, snoring away, unconscious of the world’s drama. Nocturnal creatures crept, and birds hooted. The night is innocently quiet, but it may have consumed many. My…

  • Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: Proverbs and Meaning

    Onye aturu ilu kowaa ya, ego eji luo nne ya efuola ohia. Before I start this post permit me to greet Igbo people; those who own the proverbs I’m about to explore; Ndi Igbo kwenu! Ekelem unu o. Ndewonu. •Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Igbo traditional Isi-agu attire INTRODUCTION: PROVERBS There are many definitions for proverbs…

  • Lullaby: Tale of the young Shepherdess

    I will tell you a rhyme of the shepherdess who loved her sheep, She lives in the country and could sing her community to sleep Twinkle went stars nested far up the pregnant black sky, When black clouds float, the gathering rain storm sigh, “It will rain, but it might wait a little,” the young…

  • Yankari National Park

    •Hippo Lake, Kainji National Park, Nigeria West Africa is home to many nature reserves and Nigeria has a fair share. In-between those colourful coastal cities and hot towns of the Sahara, there are protected parks that are worth visiting. Yankari is one of them. Yankari National Park is a large wildlife park located in the…

  • African Dawn

    ** Slope of pointed hills Black against the horizon Threat the sun with its fierce thrust As thin clouds streak across the sky ** Cloud underbellies glow reddish hue Morning warmth fight the heady moon Wide plains stretched, savannah grass paradise Sometimes lonely trees stand with yellow grass Ancient, raw, scattered lights slowly gather The…

  • Palm Tree

    Beautiful ornament, guardian of my land I salute you gladiator, My great warrior! Your strong fronds are high To shade the village from heat, You stand on those ancients hills A pillar rooted deep into earth, Little forests grow, here and there, You tower over all, trees and fauna, But yet a citadel for great…

  • Orie Market Day

    It’s Orie day here. Orie is a big market day in Isuikwuato. Everybody will be heading to the market to trade. People from different places buy and sell here. I walk through the quiet hills to get some fresh air and pick some flowers. Thankfully I have the quiet road to myself. I also have…

  • Nature’s Kindness

    Bird songs, colourful butterflies and sun rays, Are fruits from Nature’s basket of kindness, To man, his clan she gave tranquility and peace

  • Amuse: Tomato Poem

    Today I met this round twins, sumptuous red fruit By the garden they grew, so I’ll make a muse for it. 1. Hanging down hopelessly as their weight was a clear burden, Close to a busy ant hole, where ants traversed without care, Their redness portray the sun’s ire but they seem quite unperturbed I…

  • When Waterfalls sing

    I told trees of your songs and they are jealous, When you drop, birds and the wild stop to listen, To hear you sing a melody from the long fall And watch you wash your garment on the rush below

  • Traveler

    The traveler is like the sun Which traverse the length of Earth, Seen her people, food and cultures He is like a blast of the wind Blowing cold and hot at times And fine dust is his companion The traveler is like a compass Searching for North pole Seeking gladly new lands The traveler is…

  • A Tree Poem

    Sitting under a long leafy treeOn a mild and serene noonWith Nature’s finest creatures;A stray buzzing bee,A colony of black ants,A handful of wild mushrooms,And some twittering birdsCool breeze blew at intervalsBringing smell of cattle to meWhile tree leaves tried to seeThose who took refuge under her shadeBlushing at the admiration on our eyes,Falling off…

  • What I think of Poverty (Poetry)

    What if I told you a poem of poverty Will you wave it off and call me silly? I will tell you what I think Why communities continue to sink, School children trek miles to get a bus Their worn-out shoes make it worse, Bright girls will deliberately miss school Sanitary pads their excuse, without…

  • Quotes on Children

    Seeing a child laugh or smile at me gives me exceptional joy. As a math teacher, I am privileged to work with them. I have collected some quotes on children to celebrate my love for them. “Every child you encounter is a divine appointment.” – Wess Stafford “Children are like wet cement: whatever falls on…

  • Letter: Heal today

    Dear Friends, I always talk about forgiveness because someone out there needs to let go. Life is designed in such manner that people may not always have it as they wish or want. So disappointments, heartbreaks, hurt, betrayal and pain are unfortunately part of life. Being good does not guarantee that people will be good…

  • Atlanta 96: Determination VS Talent (Video)

    There’s an important lesson to learn from the video in this blog post. See how the Nigerian team surprised the world. That’s right, determination and persistence are key to success. Start blogging today.

  • Beautiful Eswatini! (Images)

    The Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland is a Southern African country bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. The kingdom is known for it’s unique culture and beautiful countryside. If you ever visit this beautiful country make sure you taste the local beer. There’s a lot of animals and birds to see too. Immerse…

  • Amuse: African Ostrich

    1. To you my feathery friend I write In greying fields your fur I sight Dangling by your sides are wings, A tall neck, from which you may sing 2. Caw caw, caw caw are your favourite words The wind is your friend, the soil your playground, The shrub is home, to it you rest…

  • Home: Africa

    High above the hills of Africa, the dark clouds of night still stretched over the village and surrounding valley. Humankind and their domesticated animals slept, but the antelope of the forest and the small, fleet-footed gazelle remained wide awake. In a short span, early morning dew falls from ancient hills. Darkness dances with light. Misty…

  • Love knows no colour

    Love knows no pink, no blue, no colour; it knows no creed, no silence, no mumblings, no religion or association. It will learn nothing that brings shame or pain or hurt to others and one’s environment. Love preys on no one, it knows no greed and no self. Like fresh leaves falling quietly away from…

  • Amnesty Int’l Letter: Children’s Day 2020

    Dear Okechukwu, I wish a happy Children’s Day to all the children in your life. But as I write to you today, my heart goes out to all the children detained in Northeast Nigeria and caught up in endless violence at the hands of Boko Haram and the Nigerian military. They were taken away from…

  • Haiku: Happy Hawk

    Happy hawk surf, King of blue clouds, wind While silence look on Start blogging today.

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 9 (The White Man)

    Dada came back looking exhausted and defeated. He hung a tied piece of wrapper across his left shoulder and chewed slowly on bitter cola. He held a yellow palm frond in his left palm as he walked into our compound. From my room I watched him march straight to his hut without speaking to anyone.…

  • Ramadan Kareem

    Ramadan Kareem my Muslim friends. Remember love is central to human co-existence. Salam W’alaykum. Start blogging today.

  • Successful Vs Unsuccessful people (Images)

    Start a WordPress blog here.

  • Africa Day 2020 (Images)

    Happy Africa Day! Start blogging today.

  • Four Poems: Let’s Take A Walk

    I. OUR TRYST Breezes bring your memory; mild rosy fragrance, The wind sing with you when you sang of the Nightingale And now we wait to tryst, craving beautiful sunset II. HAPPY MEETING We must make haste, for night is a cold stranger, For the great Baobab where our love blossomed, Cold nights steal our…

  • Muse: I Wonder

    I wondered, too, what I had ever done to deserve the special love of this very special girl. When I used to think about you before this day happened – it had been as of a rather splendid but inaccessible young goddess of the hills and dales – the incarnation of all beauty, and truth;…

  • A Kind Story 2

    I received this story from a friend and thought I should share with you. Folake, a primary school teacher, was transferred to a different school and immediately appointed as a class teacher of a class five class. On her first day in her class, she noticed that a boy named Kola was different from the…

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 8 (Stubborn Nene)

    That morning before the early hunters left their homes for the forest, Dada was already on his way to Ndi-Ikele to welcome the priest, newly arrived from Trinidad and Tobago. It was breezy and cloudy that morning, it seemed it would rain any moment. Trees, especially the palm took to joyful procession when I stepped…

  • Boss Vs Leader (Images)

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  • Namaqualand, Beautiful Namibia

    I see light fell from the skyOn the wind I heard a sigh…Image @ChristurtleboyesStart a blog here.

  • Grateful Christian

    l feel Your warmth Jehovah The peace and comfort You gave Now sunshine through my curtain, Strings of beautiful colours I see Oh Jehovah, You’re Awesome The skies blue cloud stand at ease You stand out, You’re Handsome! The love I feel, undescribable The life I’ve, gracefully blessed You loved me to love others My…

  • Waterfall

    Listen to Nature sing from waterfalls, She thrash her garments upon rocks And wash them with her soft palms She sends soft waters crashing into the pool Watching the blue skies as her fingers work When the water descend they form Fine curtains of white mist As the water touch the pool below It changes…

  • Animal Planet’s Dave Salmoni New Show

    It’s not everyday that you get this close to the fastest land animal on Earth! Don’t miss a new episode of #AnimalBites with Dave Salmoni, Fridays at 12PM ET. Visit Africa. Learn Igbo language and culture. Click here. Start a blog here.

  • Life’s pretty hue

    I speak without many words For all I say is but a fraction of my thoughts I find no perfect name (s) In there, in my mind where all are soft So when I sit without my human friends I watch Nature turn to pretty painting, As I fed stray ants my soft bread And…

  • Since I met you

    Many times I told myself that love is but a lie It comes into a life and leaves without a trace But since I met you, I feel more ambience; The way you make me do things I do, The way you smile and cherish life so Start a blog here.

  • Humility Vs Pride

    Humility and pride are two brothers who see the world from different perspectives. In this blog post, I’ll compare them to show how they differ. Humility apologizes first even when he’s not wrong, but pride is the longest distance between two people. Pride cares about who is right, while humility cares about what is right.…

  • If I do love you

    If I do love you I would make me a green hut at your gates Drum and call upon your name I would of your virtues write long poems Sing them in the dead of the night So it sounds among the ancient hills With Echo, the talkative spirit of the air Start a stunning…

  • Quotes on Kindness

    ‘Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.’ St Augustine. ‘If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.’ Arabian Proverb. ‘To fold the hands in prayer is well, to open them in charity is…

  • Poetry from Skies

    There was poetry before we learned to write Awesome rhythm rendered as a strong wind might lyrics penned down by clouds, as such And when singing, green vegetation bows There was poetry before we learned to hear Drums that tender soft beats, far but near Brief gaiety across the heavens Heard passion when it stills…

  • Wattle by Robin Bliss

    Wattle blossom, Wattle yellow Makes me feel kinda mellow With your flowers, brilliant bright Fills my soul with much delight Saffron, citron and festive gold Buttercup and colours bold And so I loiter on my way In your presence I would stay Yes your sweet scent laden breeze Sets my soul and mind at ease…

  • Love’s Silhouette

    We have our silhouette against sun rise, When we stand, staring in our grey eyes, Yet the sun may bear witness to this tryst Start a blog.

  • African childhood Memories

    I long for my childhood days in rural Africa, To fill my lungs with morning air descending from hills And to till farmland that stretch into sunset Golden sunrise always kept everyone speechless And when birds welcome the day with choruses Sweet breezes gather to battle the sun warmth Infants may resume their wailing culture…

  • Sing with me

    Sing with me Let’s talk lyrics only known to poetry, Dance with me Let’s swirl upon night’s quiet rhythm. Start your blogging here.

  • Another Tale of the WildWoods

    There’s a land behind those hills Hidden in the forest, One mighty foliage; of brushes & roots At all times, Cloud is blue And King of the Forest Do fall in love with it When the Cloud blush It rains softly; mildly And little creatures Which live in the land Look up to the smiling…

  • Seeker

    I see a golden ray Giving light from afar Up the lonely road Near the cliffs edge Where leaves fall in circles, Caring about nothing As they fall, happily And the skies not seen But a streak of sun light Filing through waving trees Now and then, Rodents of tall trees, Curious about the passerby…

  • Another Evening Storm with the Rainmaker

    … And there’s another rainstorm brewing over this town tonight. Out in the cold street, light bulbs glow here and there, but meshed in grim embrace of darkness itself. I feel the wind lick the skin on my forearm when I hold the curtain to see the rainstorm. There’s a strange but sweet smell, of…

  • Worries on the relaxed Lockdown in Nigeria

    Now that the government relaxed the sit-at-home order, I may travel home to see my loved ones and pick some supplies. My movement is within my state; I’ll go no further than that. Everyone has been worried and could only connect via phone. But I’m worried that this relaxed lockdown may allow for interstate traveling.…

  • Quiet Lakeside

    Once upon a quiet lakeside, Where blue clouds stay, With very thick fog dwell, And tall Figs hide in them Like towers, Over a host of colours, Painting down the valley When the sun rays fall And the forest below So all may turn to gold. Clouds are not left behind They shine in the…