Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: writing

  • Lullaby: Night Rain

    Light rain, mild breeze, magnificent shower, Like the faint drums that usher in the noble, Faded lightning, a plethora of tiny drops Those that drench the backyard every night

  • Diary of A Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 6

    When I reached home that evening, it seemed like the whole world was upside down. I felt my head swell with hurt from the bee stings and sharp roots embedded in my feet. By the side of my bamboo bed, Nene and her dog sat, staring at me. She held my hand and squeezed softly.…

  • Happy Stars

    Happy stars are outBeige dusk, moonlightOn pathways brightKept in the looming mistWindy evening gustBlow out on the hamletOverlooking hills & sunsetBrewer of legends & myths,A sleepy moment of twilightAnd fascinating one for that

  • She 2

    The storm made all darkShe stood under the rainDaring all, wind, lightningHer stars will still glitterMorning is not far away

  • Happiness: An Old Story

    Happiness: An Old Story My dear friends, happiness is an old story. Indeed many people have sought it in the wrong places: material things and found it not. But this story sent to me reveals that happiness is not a function of physical possession. As for me, I find happiness daily – in the rain,…

  • Night Poem: Light

    Amid dark skies and night, Through quietness and mists Beloved Providence grants To bring through the dark, a light

  • Dialogue 5: Greed/Selfishness

    The Greedy/Selfish Tortoise Storyteller: Ifochakpi! Audience: Waa! Storyteller: Nabe, the Tortoise is a controversial character. But we must note that the tortoise’s character is metaphorical. We use tales to demonstrate what is obtainable in the real world. Greed is a vice. In Africa, it is frowned upon and selfish people in folktales tend to fall…

  • Reflection: Faces

    Faces I am worried that my village would be a changed place when I return. It’s been a while since I left and I wonder what changed. I daydreamed on the bus as it sped down the hill. Palm trees crawled past, I lost count. The clouds seem to change with each turn but the…

  • Wisdom Secrets from the Ant

    If experience is the best teacher, must it be our own experience? Wise men stand out because of their willingness to learn from the experience of others. Wisdom is not a function of size, neither is it dependent on age or experience. Until one learns from one’s experience, he can’t develop wisdom. Wise men stand…

  • Summer Returns: Tale of the Wildwoods

    Upon the glades and vales of the wildwoods The Mountain stood quietly by the forest side Sniffing the sweet smell comes 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 blue skirmish Sometimes it seemed it will rain,…

  • Muse: Nightfall

    Nightfall, one of tremendous cold, Glowing stars, showing the path Another stanza, a song of the heart Driving through the darkest sky An emotion known only to the herder

  • Go With The Wind

    Go where the wind goes, where sunset is gold, where hills, rise and fall and discover the world.

  • Short Story: Umuosiala by John Okereke

    We all swarmed in pairs to the village square, strolling, briskly and for myriad bent octogenarians crawlingly. From all nook and cranny, villagers poured into the main footpath leading straight to the copious square like water from river tributaries. To an onlooker on the farms on either side of the almost narrow path, this flux…

  • Art: Ruhige Nacht

    Ruhige Nacht Variety is the spice of life, they say. So I’ve decided to give this blog post a title in German. If I was proficient in the language I would love to write the entire blog post in German. Ruhige Nacht is Quiet Night in English. If I was a European, I would be…

  • A Hopeful September

    Hope is the faint light that keeps burning in our hearts even in profound darkness September is a month that means a lot to me. It reminds me of life and death. It’s my sober month. Someday I’ll find the courage to write about September’s significance to me. I’m grateful for everything. It was just…

  • Folk: Eri, the Orphan

    Once upon a time. In a land far away, when things were not the way they are today. There lived an orphan, Eri whose parents died when she was just a few months old. Her uncle took her in, to raise her alongside his kids, Agbona and Tete. Eri was hardworking. She learned new things…

  • Tale of The Night

    Once upon a time, it was a cold night And one of loneliness for three shepherds, Their melodies were the sheep glad bleating Their balcony was light with the stars up above In the distance, away from their little fiesta Forest wolves called to the rising moon The cold night’s grip was terrific this time…

  • Daylight Aura

    daylight aura keen tantrums distant flyers the sky is alive with joy a positive bird moment where singing greet the blue skies, bright days wed birds and firmaments and a pleasant symphony waits for all this morn of frolic & awed spectators

  • Lullaby: Night Rain

    Light rain, mild breeze, magnificent shower, Like the faint drums that usher in the noble, Faded lightning, a plethora of tiny drops Those that drench the backyard every night

  • Sonnet of The Day | William Wordsworth

    William Wordsworth Wordsworth is a fine English man whose poetic words are worth reading. Each time I read his poetry I think of him as a jockey of words. He is so elegant in his use of puns. His diction occurs so naturally that one can’t help but wonder. Below is a poem he composed…

  • ShepherdLore: Music of Nature

    Tree roots are favorite chairs, the velvety mushrooms cushions, My thoughts drown in the music of nature, the sheep and birds

  • The Golden Bird From Project Gutenberg

    A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener…

  • The Iron Snake

    Country Loving Nomad Boy How lucky I am to have traveled by train as a child! School holidays were a great time to travel. I always anticipated the train journey with my aunt to my grandma’s country home. The window seat was my favorite spot. From there I could count palm trees or watch the…

  • See The Sun Rise

    Observe high above the sky; when the cloudy, golden sun drift away, Hiking by her side is the hilly country, where shines colours of day, Glittering clouds, a nought abundance of gold may define the beauty, The smell of dew on dry clay on air; life wakes to benevolent serenity, The earth is up; with…

  • Muse: Listen To The Talking Drum

    Permit me to etch this melodious stanza upon your heart Let the verbal rhythm be greeted with this fair talking drum, Give me your ears, let them listen as lyrics tell of the night frog Who challenged the melodious nightingale to a song duel

  • The Leopard Spirit 7

    Papa said I had to be vital to attend the following 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 exercised seriously. The moonlight night tales occur once in a fortnight; sometimes, they may be delayed, especially during…

  • Night Poem: Silence

    Silence is not the melody of night Lingering moon, dawdling owls & crickets Emerge to begin the circus called dusk

  • Folklore: Cat Skin from Project Gutenberg

    There was once a king, whose queen had hair of the purest gold, and was so beautiful that her match was not to be met with on the whole face of the earth. But this beautiful queen fell ill, and when she felt that her end drew near she called the king to her and…