Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: opinion

  • Quote: Quiet Wins

    Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak—Sun Tzu, The Art of War Let people underestimate you; the best moments happen when no one sees you coming!

  • The Quiet Mirror Within

    To discover your true self, focus on your inner journey rather than seeking answers externally.

  • Ina Murna – Obi n’atọm

    Would you dance to the beautiful rhythm in your heart and soul, or because of the warmth and smiles of loved ones and even strangers? What about the gentle breeze that caresses your body and mind? Or the encouraging words from good friends? Take a moment to look closely—there’s always something to be grateful for!…

  • Quote on Grace

    Being gracious does not mean you are weak. Choose to be graceful regardless!

  • Patterns 2

    Patterns are woven into the very fabric of our world, often escaping our notice in the bustle of daily life. From intricate colors of feathers on birds to ethereal shapes of cloud formations that drift across the sky, from vibrant prints on textiles to subtle variations in skin and hair, they are everywhere. Over the…

  • Amuse: ‘Shadowy’ Tales

    Moonlight blankets the entire landscape, illuminating even the darkest areas. Silhouettes are cast on roads, buildings, and everything else. If you’re not careful, you might be startled by a palm tree; the shadows of its leaves can easily resemble the fingers of masked figures waiting to grab their victim. A passerby’s silhouette can also be…

  • Count Your Blessings

    Listen to the beautiful rhythm in your soul I am an avid listener and greatly enjoy the sounds of nature and the world around me. I find joy in the soothing sounds of rainfall, the rumbling of clouds, and the intensity of raging thunderstorms. I appreciate the gentle flow of waterfalls and the melodic symphonies…

  • Dance in the Rain

    How lovely it is to dance in the rain at night,Like lost children—twisting, turning, and soaked.How sweet it is to listen to Nature’s songWhen nights are cold and the lights are out.How happy it is to hear the heartbeats of loved onesIn a vigorous hug or a gentle embrace, or even both. Would you become…

  • Diary of A Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 12 (Tales by Moonlight 2)

    I stood up and tried to follow the figure. The wind began to blow, and I felt it was calling to me for some reason. Navigating through the crowd was difficult. Some kids were bothering me by tugging at my feet, while teenagers watched me with disdain nearby because I was blocking their view. The…

  • Quote: Live in the Present

    Remember to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and smell of flowers and the feel of wet clay. Smile is the best ornament you can wear. Take the time to watch the sunrise or sunset while you still can. Life is fragile, and nothing lasts forever — Oke Iroegbu

  • Tale of the Wildwoods: When Summer Arrived

    I’ve got a little adventure planned! I will take you, my readers, on a delightful journey where I’ll reshare some of my favorite past blog tales and poetry (I like to call them Poetales—because a tale got married to a poem, and they gave birth to… shhh, it’s our little secret!). Tonight, I’m super excited…

  • Santa Fe 2

    The highlands and homes are ancient, surrounded by a uniform hue of brown light. Santa Fe stretches across the valley, showcasing its abundant daylight and beauty. The crisscrossing roads create uneven patterns, while automobiles scuttle through the intersections like cockroaches. The blue, inviting clouds of Santa Fe is unique, awesome, and cherished.

  • Sandia Mountain

    Sandia Mountain This impressive escarpment is a natural beauty I appreciate more each time I see it. Sandia and other abundant mountains in New Mexico are essential to its splendor. The landscape, which is somewhat desert-like but not entirely desert, stretches against apparent blue horizons. I feel the vibes of the movie The Good, The…

  • Patterns 3

    Look at the peaks; they are citadels without motionAnd crevices cut in perfect lines on the mountainsLook at trees; they dance together in the windTheir branches and leaves in peaceful unisonLook at worms; they crawl and inscribe patternsOn Earth, they author unblemished marks and signsLook at the moon, with its glossy morningsAnd the happiness and…

  • Muse: Thanksgiving

    I’m grateful for you—you make my heart sing

  • Thoughts: Angels

    Angels live amongst us. The good thing is that we don’t have to look hard or far to find them. Sometimes, angels are good and kind people. Those who share themselves with others. Those who do good things for others. Those who don’t hesitate to assist even when they might be going through pain or…

  • Patterns 1

    Look at those fascinating cloudsHow they fold, foam, and float awayA glimpse at their majestic patternsReveals the forms these clouds takeMountains poke up to meet the skiesTake a deep breath; the sky, the views are all yours

  • Maybe

    Maybe shadows tell stories tooMaybe the beautiful patternsOf crawling earthwormsAre Mother Earth’s signatureMaybe the trail left by snails & snakesAre stories on the dirtMaybe the silhouette of treelinesIs a natural art unknown, yetMaybe we dream of being the rainOr the sun, or the moon, or the windTo travel the world and see its breadthMaybe heartbeats…

  • Quote: Breaking Barriers

    We never know the places we go to. We become the first pioneers when we go, opening doors for people like us and breaking down historical and cultural barriers—Oke Iroegbu

  • Reflection: Love and You Are My Star

    Love One thing that the humankind needs to learn more often is how to love. Love can come in different forms. Respect is a form of love. Kindness, openness, happiness for others, and more. It’s a shame that a lot still divides the world. Tonight I chose to write a very short love poem—and for…

  • Podcast: Oke’s Folklore Corner

    Yo friends! I hope everyone is doing great. I just started my folklore podcast channel. The intention is to discuss cultural forms such as proverbs, folktales, songs, and folklore. I would love your thoughts on the intro. Click here to listen. Thank you, and stay tuned for more. Warmly.

  • Poem: Don’t Cry

    Don’t cry when the last coal burn outAnd the little flickering fire tries to stayDon’t cry around the noise of silenceEven when it’s so loud and deafeningDon’t cry when there’s a moonless nightWhen the cold hands of twilight threatenDon’t cry, my friend, when it seems it’s overLet it be; the sun will rise, so will…

  • Meditation

    What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like? My morning routine is primarily reflecting on events from the past, a tiny dose of pushups (though not consistent), and practicing gratitude for everything. During the first hours, I usually read uplifting books—motivational or spiritual, to start the day.

  • Ego

    Relationships often come to an end because of someone’s ego. Similarly, leaders’ egos have led countries to fight wars, causing innocent people to suffer and die needlessly. Sadly, in such wars, many soldiers who are people’s loved ones, such as husbands, wives, sons, and daughters, lose their lives as well. All this happens because people…

  • Breaking Barriers

    You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence? This is a true story—of hope and resilience, of dreams, aspirations, and experiences put together. My story aims to restore hope and encouragement in humanity and to emphasize the importance of selflessness and service to others.

  • Quote: Love

    Travel—travel light, love—love unconditionally – Oke Iroegbu Happy Valentine’s Day.

  • Relationships

    Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done. I learned that there’s no perfect time to start a romantic relationship but I haven’t made effort to begin with. However, it’s a priority to me now.

  • Weapons

    If you could un-invent something, what would it be? You will agree that weapons have caused more havoc on humankind and the environment. Sadly, even modern ones are being developed by man to destroy fellow man and nature.

  • Respect

    Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved? A listening ear is as good as a gift, but better—Oke Iroegbu One thing I have learned about love is that it goes hand in hand with respect and trust. To love means to put the happiness of others above ours, and it goes…

  • Social Media

    In what ways do you communicate online? Social media made writing and sharing written work easy As a writer in a social media era, I use many apps. Most times, it’s just posting on one app that is connected to many others. For instance, my Jetpack app is connected to X, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Facebook,…

  • Coke with Primates

    Think back on your most memorable road trip. This was an excursion I had with classmates in High School. It’s over a decade now, but the memories are alive. This is the report I wrote but with slight editing. I can see how much my writing voice has changed. Our excursion was to the Songhai…

  • Don’t Worry, Just Live…

    What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life? We came orderly and will leave randomly I don’t think much about these life philosophies and concepts. I only want to do what makes me, my loved ones, and the people around me happy. At the end of it all, memories are…

  • Sunset—Nostalgia

    What makes you feel nostalgic? There’s that feeling of nostalgia when the sun drifts away from the hamlets, sinking, sailing through the clouds like a golden phantom, spherical like a child’s playball. Sometimes when it’s hot we wish away the sun and when it’s cold we wish the sun’s heat could warm our land. It’s…

  • Creative Writing

    How are you creative? I started this blog in 2012; I wasn’t sure what to make of it. However, I knew that I wanted to use it as an avenue to express my thoughts and creativity. Writing poetry and narrative essays also exhibited my creative pursuits and has been instrumental to my academic endeavors. Talking…

  • Worrying

    What could you do less of? When you worry, you make the problem double One thing I have learned in life is to stop worrying about things I can’t control or change. These things tend to rob us of happiness and living in the moment. We can’t change things like rainfall (the weather) or attitudes…

  • Egusi Soup

    Do you or your family make any special dishes for the holidays? Spicy, warm soups are delightful for me. Food is culture. Food is life, and I can go on dropping poetic lines about food. As a traditional person, I am a foodie who appreciates good food! I love traditional Igbo dishes like egusi, ede,…

  • Learning

    If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do with all the extra time? I would study with the extra time. I’ll also spend some time exercising. Learning—reading and writing will improve my mental and academic health while exercising will support my physical and spiritual health. The aim is to have a wholesome experience.

  • Big Fan – Big Lessons

    If you could meet a historical figure, who would it be and why? Arnold’s success story taught that hope and resiliency are key to success. I would love to meet these actors and musicians: Denzel Washington, Dwayne Johnson, Wyclef Jean, Jackie Chen, Jeremiah Gyang, Mary J Blige, and Arnold Schwarzenegger! But for this post, I’ll…

  • Instinct

    Do you trust your instincts? Make sure that when you look in the mirror each morning, you are proud to own up to the decisions you make for yourself. Yes. I trust my intuition. Not consistently, but I would most times have never been misled by trusting in myself. I don’t know how I do…

  • Don’t Stress It

    What’s something you believe everyone should know. One thing I learned in life is not to stress so much about things. Taking life easy and one day at a time. Defining what your fun is and not letting people’s opinions or drama distract you. Whatever that is meant to be will be; consequently, if it…

  • Favorite Artists

    Who are your favorite artists? I admire a lot of artists. I like Jackie Chan, Denzel Washington, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wyclef Jean and Mary J Blige. The first three are movie stars and the last two are musicians. I have followed the movie stars for a longtime. In fact they contributed immensely to my childhood entertainment.…

  • Charity

    If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to? I will share the money between charities like Children and Young Women’s Health Foundations, e.g., Save The Children, Wildlife and Environmental Protection Non-Government Organizations, e.g., Sheldrick Trust, and Human Rights Organizations, e.g., Domestic Workers Unite Inc. The idea is to…

  • Sleeping and Waking Early

    What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself? The most challenging personal goal I set for myself is to sleep and wake early. I’m determined to be by myself from 9.30 PM unless I have a visitor or aren’t home by then. Since I started this, my body has learned to automatically wake…

  • What is The Elephant?

    I will start by retelling this short and famous parable about the Elephant and the Blindmen, adapted from the book The Elephant in the Dark. This parable speaks volumes about misconceptions and how one-sided, unverified, and faulty ideology could spread erroneous claims and beliefs. A group of blind men learned that a strange animal, called…

  • Be Yourself

    What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? 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 now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great…

  • Quote on Attitude

    It’s not all about being smart, strong, or hard-working. A good and positive attitude can take a young person far in life.

  • Poetry

    Why do you blog? This short blog post answers the prompt on why I blog… Poetry Poetry is a composition in verse or language, exhibiting conscious attention to patterns. The bolded are crucial to understanding the true nature of poems. Poetry has been in existence for centuries. As an art that survived centuries, I was…

  • Sunset

    What’s your favorite time of day? What does the sunset mean to you? For me, it’s time for rest. It’s also a time for reflection, a time to put the pieces together. However, overthinking kills the fun. Letting the day’s stress slide is crucial. So count your blessings. Even the sun rests, a quick reminder…

  • Love knows no race

    Each time I look into people’s eyes, I realize we have a lot of things in common. I see myself, and the more we try to understand each other, the more exceptional we can be. We must try to make the world a better place by loving others as we love ourselves. It starts with…

  • Quote on Consciousness

    If you pay attention to nature, you can learn a lot. So be awake, be aware of your environment.