Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: folklore

  • If you let me paint

    So if you let me paint the world, I would imagine the sunrise over wheat fields And fast approaching evening when birds fly home

  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Published in 1958, its story chronicles pre-colonial life in the south-eastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of the Europeans during the late nineteenth century. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, one of the first to receive global…

  • Fantasy: Dream with me

    Let’s lie on green fields Close your weary eyes Dream with me of a pretty land I want a tree by my side And a bunny out there too, Sunshine, cute clouds and blue skies Let the sun wear her garment And her warmth mild upon us Let tree leaves shade her light So I’m…

  • Prayer for the Earth

    Continue in prayers -Colossians 4.2 The night is colder than the last Dreams fly away like the egret But we won’t let go yet Now cold nights are strong Even when all seem wrong We run to faith to rest Heal us now, dear Lord, Let this evil storm pass, Let the raging storm wear…

  • What’s in a name?

    A name indicates a person, place or thing. It may reflect why a person bear it. For instance, one can say Akpan, the first born or Judy, the mechanic. So a name can serve as a trait, feature or attribute. In African culture, people name their children after circumstances they passed through, events they evidenced…

  • Amuse: Singina likes my tales

    “I remember your funny and lovely tales,” she yawned “You complete my day with those poems of yours!” At first I wasn’t sure of what I did right exactly, But as a shepherd I find pleasure writing about life, Telling of my travel, of my long days and how it ends Now, tomorrow I shall…

  • By Still Waters

    By still waters, happiness is found

  • The sun may hide

    The sun may hide for a while But faith is our fortitude and citadel

  • Nostalgia: Traveling memories

    I remember my first attempt at hunting. I was a little boy then and just arrived my hometown for holidays. It was fun and I was glad I went home. As a town boy I had little experience in hunting and general country life. Traveling home was a great way to get in touch with…

  • Smile for me

    Smile for me beautiful child Show me your happy face Let me find inner peace Because of your beautiful smile Do not be shy Let those lips part, Let your joy fill me with hope Let me see those little dimples And the lines of your face Smile for me pretty African child Let go…

  • Movie: The Ghost and the Darkness

    As we observe our social distancing, I started seeing old favourite movies. I remember this historic film back in the days. Trust me, this is a thriller you will enjoy. Plot from Wikipedia. **** Plot: In 1898, Sir Robert Beaumont, the primary financier of a railroad project in Tsavo, Kenya, is furious because the project…

  • Rain!

    Guess what! Heaven’s tummy is rumbling! There’s some comfort from Heaven finally! It’s been hot since weekend, coupled with the Covid-19 issue, life has been solitary. Now it’s raining heavily outside! I’m seconds away from dancing in it but the lightning is frightening. I smell the wet dust. I’m sure mushrooms will visit tomorrow, haha.…

  • Self Reflection 22: Get Knowledge 2

    A lack of knowledge creates fear, seeking knowledge creates courage. NB: To reject something you know nothing about is ignorance.

  • I hear you whisper

    I hear you whisper in the morning, Waking to your tweet and joyful song, Lonely morning, seeds spread to the rising sun, Fields of tropical wheat sing with the mountain, And with you, beautiful birds; choir made in Heaven

  • Self Reflection 21: Faith 2

    Believing is seeing, not the other way round.

  • I choose Faith over Fear

    Just a few months ago, the world celebrated the new year. People, companies and countries nurtured aspirations and dreams, hoping for a happy year. But the advent of the virus brought fear and uncertainty. With what is going on, this pandemic may cause economic stress across the globe, particularly in Africa. I’m happy it’s Friday…

  • Modern Chaos

    Untarred dusty roads, free wind beat Ancient hills hanging in the smog, While heaps of trash greet travelers Airy morning now, cheerful birds sing Smell of gutted fruits and vegetables, Markets swam with strange faces Human stench overwhelm the breeze At the distance, grasslands burn Hawks descend upon thick smoke As the fire lick the…

  • Stars Glitter for you

    Stars glitter for you When you look up the skies

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 7 (Crocodile at the Stream)

    Dada said I had to be strong to attend the next Tales by Moonlight night. He also promised I could play and hunt with other children if I got well fast. So I took my medication and exercise seriously. The moonlight night tales come once in a fortnight, sometimes it may be delayed especially during…

  • Self Reflection 19: Get Knowledge

    Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse. African proverb.

  • Self Reflection 18: Hope

    Smile my friends, Nothing, no problem lasts

  • Muse: Our idea

    I love the idea of you and I Riding to the setting sun I see where the country ends But our love will never die

  • Beautiful Spring

    Rainfall or shine, flowers and bird calls Squirrels and trees, spring brightens all Dwell in tree houses, sit out in beaches, Live in the beauty within and without you

  • Galaxies

    Galaxies shine, Cloudy night they belong Sea breeze play with waves

  • Beauty

    Beauty is the ladybird Waking in the midst of dew To enjoy a quiet and lonely walk

  • Spring

    Green and red leaves may fall When spring sing from tree tops And blue skies are her muse

  • Folklore: The Straw, the Coal and the Bean from Gutenberg Project

    In a village dwelt a poor old woman, who had gathered together a dish of beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth and that it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw. When she was emptying the beans into the pan, one dropped…

  • Wait on the Stars

    Night is falling, I wait on the stars To tell a tale or two

  • Music in me

    They say you are the reason why they sing, I say you are the song in my heart.

  • Cling to Hope

    I cling to hope She woke slowly But I must wait

  • Self Reflection 11: Feed your Faith

    Feed your faith, starve your doubts.

  • Happy birds

    Take flight happy birds See where the world ends Take no note of your stress Just live for another fine day

  • Lullaby: Breezy Night

    Breezy nights are fun, Soft air descend, Caressing the happy curtains, Flirting with the candle light And casting a strange shadow From the pool, the frog choir began Preparing for their procession Yet this night is very young So I wait for the coming rain And her wonderful lullabic songs

  • Self Reflection 10: Don’t worry

    Worry gives a small thing a bigger shadow. Feed your faith and don’t be anxious!

  • Muse: Meet me

    Meet me at the tunnels end, there I’ll wait…

  • Two Poems: True Happiness & Sun Ride

    1. True happiness come from the inside By accepting and treating yourself right, Teach people love by loving yourself And seeds of peace and joy will grow 2. I drift away towards the sun ride Watching pretty clouds ride fast, My hills slowly sink – farther off Back at town, I smell gutted tomatoes

  • Muse: I choose you

    I’ll choose you any day; today and tomorrow

  • Dealing with Anger and Frustration

    I compiled what worked for me in dealing with anger and frustration, I hope they work for others too. The first thing I do when I’m angry is to walk away. I hold back the urge to argue, reply or fight back even when I’m clearly right. When I’m angry I ignore the offender and…

  • Memories

    You remind me of home, far away, Fine memories I cherish each day

  • Homecoming

    Mama is waiting The hills too! The road is slow I hear her call… I’m coming mother, I’m coming home!

  • Self Reflection 5: Be contented

    There’s nothing wrong in helping, giving away roses, gifts and love. People may take these for granted, be contented to being the good person you are.

  • First rain

    First rain, Strong wind, We celebrate The long wait, And sniff the scent Off the wet earth

  • Self-Reflection 3: Focus

    Focus and reflect. 📷@sabine_stols

  • Self Reflection 2: Love yourself

    Love yourself enough to take the actions required for your happiness.

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 6 (Another Attack)

    That night I had another attack. It was midnight and everybody was settled for some sleep. The moon was white, there were no stars and the evening brought mild breezes. Wild dogs and wolves howled from the hilly distance and the night was deafened in their terrifying noise. Night was nobody’s friend those days. Travelers…

  • Introducing The Rainmaker

    In Africa, some people are known to conjure rain. This piece is not occultic. I will explain more on rainmakers later. PROLOGUE Give me rain, Let the wind rage again Give me rain, dear Heaven! (1.) Let it flood the browned farmlands, Let it refresh the waters of the ponds, And the hards rocks upon…

  • A Farmer’s Love song

    I picked a pretty fruit Which reminds me of you Grey eyes and elegant There are many fruits But you are just exotic A fine and pretty sight You are an amazing fruit Like the seed of Sunflower Sweet to keep my days light You have become my fruit The sunshine after darkness My best…

  • African Folklore

    Folklore are tales, legends, superstitions of a particular ethnic population. In Igbo culture and other African societies, story telling is unique, such that it is a passage to transmit the tradition of a place from one generation to another. These tales convey the history, ancient messages and old knowledge. They teach morals and virtues to…

  • The Rainmaker’s Tales: Beginning

    When I am not making the rain fall To flood the village and farms And to make the river banks overflow Then I will be watching the glittering stars And talking to her, the night and moon Well, the night is never complete without a tale And this is for the sleepy little ones, I…

  • The Rainmaker’s Tales 2

    Now it was tradition that young men Cut wood in the neighboring forest Before they are allowed to chose a maiden There was no axe in the town and nearby hamlets So young men did desperate things, Mirtle was a young man, deformed in one hand, Humbly dull, but very courageous Youth of the hamlet,…