Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: opinion

  • Art of Divine Poetry By Bhagirath Choudhary (Translated to Italian, Filipino, Albanian, French, Romanian, Spanish, Serbian)

    Art of Divine Poetry Poetic imagination Praises beauty of creation Giving words and voice To every human nation Poet feels the pulse By his poetic impulse Bard’s heart resonates With loving sonnets. Loving poetic spell When rises well The ordinary mortal Becomes divine poetry portal. With sacred passions Poets dress up naked nations Bards like…

  • Abraham Lincoln’s Story

    Abraham’s Humble Story When Abraham Lincoln became the president of America, his father was a shoemaker. Naturally, egoistic people were very much offended that a shoemaker’s son should become the president. On the first day, as Abraham entered to give his inaugural address, just in the middle, one man stood up. He was a very…

  • Cranky Old Man: Anonymous Poet

    A brief intro When an old man passed away in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian rural town, it was thought that he had nothing of value left. Later, as nurses sorted through his modest belongings, they discovered this poem. Its depth and message so moved the staff that they made…

  • Poets Corner: What have you gained writing Poetry?

    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 curious to find out why lyrics are written for so long. And to those who…

  • Self Confidence

    When you believe in yourself anything is possible. Why not? If you are lucky enough to find your passion, then how could giving up be an option? Giving up means accepting a lifetime of wondering what could have happened if you just believed in yourself enough to follow through. It doesn’t matter how fast or…

  • July Wishes

    Dear Friends, I’m grateful that we made it to July 2020. You’ll agree that the year has been a stressful one. I hope you’re well and keeping safe. Don’t be anxious, things will make sense soon and we’ll live to testify. Few hours before new year, I made a wish that I wanted to see…

  • Igbo (African) Proverbs

    Hello there! This is a post on selected Igbo proverbs. I wrote in the Igbo language, translated into English, and then gave its meaning. I did a blog post on sayings used in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe sometime ago. You can access it here. Have a great day! 1. Igbo: Nwaanyi…

  • Modern Scramble for Africa

    A Bitter Pill What comes to your mind when you hear about Africa? Savages. Poverty. War ravaged. Disease. Uneducated? Let’s face it, Africa is what it is today because ‘the world’ contributed in keeping it so. We’re only poor by the world’s standard. This is a bitter pill. Another Scramble for Africa? The economic hustle…

  • Writing a Poem by David Thane Cornell

    Writing a poem is like picking flowers in a minefield. Lay down your life spread-eagled, so that the grass, sharp as syllables, won’t cut you. Let your fingers test the soil. Don’t tug at the roots. Seize adjectives for hostages, negotiable at the border between war and peace, leading you all the way back to…

  • Poets Corner: What Is Beauty?

    JUST A LITTLE STORY Let me tell you a little story. I remember a picture story of a man that sat close to a girl in a park. The first image portrayed the man as ugly, dressed in unbuttoned black shirt, with all manner of rings, deep scars and tattoos. The pretty girl was dressed…

  • Opinion: The 2020 World University Rankings

    As children in the typical agrarian world of Northern Cross River State, Nigeria, it was the tradition for mothers to leave their young babies in the care of the older ones while the mothers went to distant farms. Across the day the older children grappled with the occasional frustrating cries of their baby-siblings, sometimes grappled…

  • I am Poetry

    I am needle, needless of pain, driving through fabric, to create a happy stitch, I am dance, sometimes something sane, twists and turns, breaking within or without, I am fury, memories may wane, trust on mere ink and paper, pale but yet transparent I am innocence, a cry too soon, living for the weak, suns…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Warm Hugs from Africa

  • 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…

  • 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…