Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: Uncategorized

  • Tradition: The Rainmaker

    “I ask for the strength of the rain… Bring down the dark heavy cauldrons With all the gross, stalky condiments Maka agam eme ka miri zo n’ebe tata! (For I am about to conjure up a rain today!)” Chukwu Nnam… I want to make some rain today That is why I call upon Your Name!…

  • The First Rains

    “Tap-tap tap, tap tap… Tap! I hear the pat-pattering of the first rain drops As they fall in quiet, indifferent but solemn grace … From the comfort of my warm dear bed…” The heavy wind blew up the curtains Sending papers and nylons flying high The skies are grossly dark and faceless The wind blew…

  • The Violins of the Nights

    Now let’s have some evening breeze And with it let a tale about it be told Always the night is cold but noisy Creatures of the dark and creepy places Move about, bothering the peace of men The sounds of the night is strange But to some, it is a great acquaintance A reunion of…

  • Muse: Nature Inspired

    Life is all about finding what gives you happiness Fortunate for me, I found these in Natures embrace I love to live my life with what gives me abundant joy. Seeing live animals around and green plants upon the soil Watching the golden sun rise above the grey hills And the joyful memories that come…

  • Brothers with Fonuoha and Ciroegbu

    (i.) Laughter is a sweet wine She goes into the eyes Burning the desires of men Family is a nice paradise (ii.) Friendship is like a flying Eagle Flying above quiet blue waters In love there is no need for struggle Nothing like a sister or brother (iii.) Sometimes things and people change But nothing…

  • A Muse: The Locust and the Ant

    Now the Locust played about The comely sunny Summer, he minded not The Ant gathers leaves, grains and nuts For the clouds slowly but steadily go South The Snow Queen and all hue turn bright, All the land then become immaculately white No more grain, no more fun, no tall and sweet green grass to…

  • Wait for the Morning

    Wait for the morning It comes a little while The night was long and creepy But the morning must surely come Wait for the rising sun Hear the birds twitter Upon the trees that stay around Let Heavens airs touch you Throw the curtains open Watch the sun rays fall On the waters of the…

  • Musing: To a Future…

    (i.) “Open the windows of your heart See the wonders outside; besides you” I like to write this for you, dear For memoirs of what we share And as the last days drew near A moment of truth, I can swear I care for all which come to me The butterflies which fine colors I…

  • Musing; Februarys’ Heat

    Now we don’t have to go outside for the sun to burn us For in the house there is sufferable heat come from nowhere The mosquitoes know of these plight so they stay away The deep nights are hotter, our beds are moved to the corridors The fans blow hot stuff into the atmosphere, one…

  • A lullaby: The Shepherd

    Frankly, the bed is the best thing ever To happen to a shepherd or a farmer For it had been a long and hectic day Though he had little naps along the way The wailings of the young ram and goats Disturbs his sleep; he swerves, he waits He leans forward, allowing his ear to…

  • A Travellers Myth

    “I shall stand at the cliffs edge I shall look out for a better home for us We shall run from the very familiar We shall find a new start And when the Eagles return to nest I would hurriedly rush home to you We shall pack up, all our belongings To embark on the…

  • Musing: The Light, Paper, Curtains and My Head

    (i) Light Nothing feels better sitting in a quiet room And all you desire is but the sweet loneliness Laying in the dark room were the light is faint Musing over your ups and downs on a paper (ii) Paper Strange how my room is littered with papers Torn, painted, carved, squeezed, here and there…

  • Natures Music

    “I hear the strong sound of drums Come from lands far, far away Music living up the hills and slums Down to the seaside by the bay” The call of the birds flying home As Darkness unfolds her cloak on the Earth The choir of frogs across the little pond Singing and croaking out their…

  • A Poem sometime ago

    Once upon a midnight dreary As I pondered weak and weary The night was grim and all was damp Swarms of flyfull insect surround my lamp And out there the trees stood like Halloween ghosts Waiting to take a stab, standing lightly on the dusts The clouds shine, Zeus was trying out his new lamp…

  • The Dreamers tale

    Now to bed we all must retire But before this, let’s do a satire For my bed which I so admire I’m wrapped in my pyjamas, a funny attire After the days hectic work On the bed, a pen and book I struggle quickly to find and pick; A poem, it must even when I’m…

  • A duel inside

    Most duels are fought without, Some, more important, in us, What kills is that element of doubt… Let us unravel the journey first! I wait, hoping for a smile from you Its not that hard, if you give it a try, I know you have battled pain, I know your dreams were always high! Let…

  • Power of Love

    “1 John 4:18 ESV There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” ******* Now I recall what it all means to me… Love is the croaky sound of the cricket beneath my bed Love is…

  • Just after I wake

    I wake to the light shining on my weary face To Heavens airs and my Gods unfailing grace Before now, the window was half open Dark it was then, but for the waking sun My fancy, my imaginations knew no bound For even in my reverie, my wits stay around Crickets which stay in hidden…

  • My Musing: February 11

    Aha, my mind seems to laugh at me… But I cared so little for what it thinks I say to it, “there are more to life than you see” And for the world I say, “follow the sun as it sinks” For a shepherd, I am a stranger and sojourner …Travelling to a land far,…

  • The last night dance

    The nights are quiet and calm The smell of the rose picked in the morning Comes mildly as the serene air filter in Curtains dance like the naked light of the candle Like you, my dear as the night you danced Raising your hands to your beautiful black hair Looking through the raised arms to…

  • When the wind stops

    The tent-peg shake angrily in the wind On the sandy soil it looses its strength while the clouds are dark with the storm The mighty wind takes her toil upon the hamlet Dried leaves and sticks fly in circles Dancing to the tune of the angry wind The roofs upon the towns houses Creak and…

  • Haiku: Farewell

    Memories and tales will be told Hopes and dreams, in shield And all will pass into legend If our paths ever pass again

  • The Tale of a Shepherd

    When it is time to leave the hamlet To leave the vales and the thornful paths To seek fresh and sweet grasses For the little bleating lamb and sheep The shepherd wakes from his slumber The roads are rocky and mountainous Filled with stubborn stones and quarry The mistletoe grow on the roadside But the…

  • A Tale of the Wildwoods 3: Summer arrives

    And when the beautiful summer happened to come… Upon the glades and vales of the wildwoods The Mountain stood quietly by the forest side Sniffing the sweet smell come from fresh growing flower shrubs The happy birds come flying back home Followed by all pretty insects and the boar herd The skies are tinted with…

  • The Golden Savannah

    Have you seen the African golden Savannah? Come drive through dried brown grassland Come bake in the heat of the sun Come taste the corn beer, cooked by the locals Come ride the horse through the wildlands Come draw your name on the tropics beaches Come and see… The stray serpent, the Python or the…

  • Musing: Baby Chicken

    The days hours go fast The sun makes all lazy Then came two strange looking birds Straying away from the hen brood To come sit beside me Ignoring their mother hens calls Funny birds! But they were all sitting beside me Listening to the airy wind And the sounds coming from trees Maybe they thought…

  • Little seed

    Small seed, a poor prize Which I carried along all this while In my forgotten pocket and in my heart I am going to plant it someday though And watch it grow from my window And everytime I wake in the morning I shall look to it as the sun rises From my old rusty…

  • Freedom

    When the creepy hands of darkness departs Then comes a flush of renewed energy *** Do you feel the sweet and virgin morning airs, fresh? Do you love the warmth that comes with the rising sun? The mornings signify a new life Never tie yesterday to this new life But stay awake to the worlds…

  • Beautiful Dreams from Heaven

    When Dreams come to one Grip them with all you have got The dews of Heaven bring them The smiles of infants in the morning A very cold winter blowing in might And twittering of birds by your window The falling red tree leaves in a park And the blossoming of the golden wheat The…

  • Silhouettes and Fear

    What lurks in the darkness and nights Waiting to jump on ones neck When no light come from the stars? What bears a fur and Sabre tooth And follow the silhoutte of preys Even as one walk in the lonely park? What stands in a dark tree plantation Running its ferocious claws on tree barks…

  • The days toil

    Now my eyes close before Thee Grant me sweet night airs and peace Let my slumber be quiet and undisturbed For the long days toil made had me tired Let Thy eyes move before me each day To guide and show me the right way When the moon and stars leave the night Always let…

  • Beautiful days stay unseen

    When the dark clouds come upon the clan All grow dim, sobre and quiet The stars are hidden from sight But the dark cloak holds all down The stars, the hopes and good dreams The fireflies cast a minute light On the stormy and windy night The clouds bear a weird apparition Confused at his…

  • The Desert city

    The church bell chimes quietly in the city But this little town is left to Pity’s mercy The only noise heard was the airs whine Upon the obscure paintings as the only signs Old dirty newspapers fly about Passing telegrams to misty ghosts Swerving from one side of the road to another Times decaying touch…

  • Wake me up

    Wake me up With your tears Of love and care Let my consciousness comfort you Wake me up To plough the fields To gather wheats And see your smiles Wake me up Even when I’m strengthless To feel the airs Come from the mountain Wake me up Draw back the curtains Let the Golden Sun…

  • Musing: Crickets

    Crickets are my best insects But why? I know not They stay under my bed And cry out till I have an ache up my head But what they say also I know not Though I think they talk about broth Wonder why little insects Grow even beer intent They growl, some bark And all…

  • A New Day

    The morning sun brings joy Now that the dark has gone And the clan is wide awake To begin the days routine The clouds are bright For the new day has come Birds fly away over the hills The forest trees drift about The mists are sucked off As the heat of the Sun shine…

  • Ferns

    See how you dance by the river banks Throwing your green hands up And swerving to and fro to the airs rhythm With the suns warmth you waltz Nodding to the chattering of your pals When a strong wind comes you wave Faltering and bowing to the winds grace Enjoying yet the rough caressing of…

  • Come this thunder, 1967

    Come this thunder When the nights glitter with explosions The resemblance of fire-cracker carnivals And as the rattling for supremacy Is heard from heartless machine guns Spewing the seeds of destruction Upon unfortunate children and men ‘Kwaa-pu kwaa-pu kwaa-pu, unu dum!’ ‘Leave here,’ the emissaries of death say Flying limbs, headless bodies and chaos Destruction…

  • Two Poems of Oke’ Iroegbu, The Apple and The Summer

    The Apple blossom and turn red Before now the Pines tell her ‘You are not what we think you are’ For then she was green and young And when the wind blew around The forest side, she swerved about Like a tree leave upon a branch ‘I will blossom some day, you know’ She would…

  • The Waterside

    …by the Waterside See the waters queer like a green tea Flowing quietly in the dry season The haste of waters upon the rocks As the tides airs treat the trees And all lively nature around it Even in the quietness of the stream A sort of hush and joyful sigh is heard A soft…

  • A beautiful morning

    It is a beautiful morning With the Golden sun rising And my slumberness, waking This Light comes new to me A perfect start for a day to be Your Love Jehovah comes to me For You are this pretty Light I see From behind the light curtains The sweet blessed airs flow in They come…

  • The Crow and The Rabbit

    A Crow was sitting on a tree Doing nothing all day. A small Rabbit saw the crow, And askd him, ‘Can I also sit like you And do nothing all day long?’ The Crow answered: ‘Sure, why not.’ So, the Rabbit sat on the ground Below the Crow, and rested. All of a sudden a…

  • Crystals of Water

    I hear your swift surge Like the snaky locomotive Cockcroaching thro tunnels And sighing along the way See the waters clear as the sweet spring; Leaping crystals surge forward in haste The waters run in joy to other lands Feeding the shorelines all this while Pulling along the stray crab and the torn ferns And…

  • The Lone Wolf

    Slowly tis moon surge-by Two shades join in harmony As the door sides creak Allowin’ the cold airs To filter in calmly Blind winds blow boldly Dogs bark and whine And the pines call Fear knows not himself Yet a dark cloak Sweeps fast across the lane Creepy and with leaps Takes cover behind the…

  • To Love…

    I am writing to you Cos of the pain in my heart The distance we created For nothing sake But I am pained Though you see it not Love hurts a lot But it has its worth But remember… I will be pleased Only when I see you smile Only when I see your grin…

  • Musing

    The dusts wane Clouds are free of them Birds ski up the sky And people return home A fresh start to begin And that is just lifes swing

  • A Lovers Tale

    I remember when you left for the city, walking lean and tall When at the hilltop you turned to wave me the last goodbye I remember the tears of the little ones as they try to hold you back When as you walk away, facing the suns light as she grew dimmer I remember your…

  • Quiet nights

    Quiet nights can be romantic And when one- a poet is alone Words of reason come to him But stray night flies sing about And the crickets quiz themselves Proposing numerous theories Asking questions and reminding One another of the quiet day To them the nights should be noisy It should be one of merriment…

  • The Rat and the Bat

    A rat made friends with a bat And they always fed together But then the bat was jealous of the rat When the bat cooked the food It was always very good And the bush rat will always ask “How is it that when you make soup It is so tasty?” The bat will always…

  • Masquerades

    Strings of flax fall from your stress Hides carved from animal skin And strange cloth embellish you You swerve around like a drunk Scaring children and younger folk Caring for nothing but for asunder The masks on you remind of the hyena Your whip dragging behind you as you walk As you seek peoples’ doors…