Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Tag: blogger

  • Quote: Gratitude

    I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude. Brene Brown

  • Image: Bedia, Obudu

    I love to share this piece of Nature with you. This is Bedia, a serene village in Obudu located in Cross Rivers State in Nigeria. Obudu is home to mountain ranges and the popular Obudu cattle ranch.

  • Home Tales

    Nightfall dreamsA ride through moonshineHome wait for tales

  • The Rainmaker’s Poem

    Do you want to hear the rain howl in the wind?Then you must come to AfricaHere the rainfall is a sport to childrenAnd a time to count numerous blessingsBut if you doubt this, I will make it pour! Come rainfall! Come, dear friend!Send this town scuttling for safety,Let the first rain, fill pots with murky…

  • 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.…

  • Speak Up

    Silence is not always golden When it comes to caution and discipline, silence can be an obstacle. For example, consider a kid riding a bike on a busy road and choosing not to warn him about the danger. Also, think about not calling the police, instead opting to record or observe gang violence in the…

  • Try Again

    This piece is tilted more to advise. Dear friends, ever failed? Try again. Try Again Ever tried and failed? Try again Ever loved someone But it went down the drain? Don’t give up, try again! Ever applied for anything And yet find life wanting? Don’t give up, try again! Ever trusted someone But got disappointed…

  • Lights: Last Blog 2021

    There’s no moon tonight, just galaxies. Despite the littering stars up the sky, there’s pitch darkness on the path leading to my granny’s place. This night is unusual. I know this small village to be cold at night. However, tonight the aura is indifferent. The air is mild and the harmattan breeze is nowhere to…

  • 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…

  • The Deaf Frog

    Frogs Can’t Fly The Deaf Frog A story was told in the land of frogs. A competition was organized, and the prize will go to the frog who gets to the top of an electric pole. ”Frogs can’t climb. How can this be? It’s impossible”, many frogs argued amongst themselves. When the whistle was blown,…

  • A Place In My Mind

    Sometimes it’s hard to stop a rolling stoneBut whenever it may roll, it always seems to find its way back home. Alex Roe Family Influence I’m bringing a piece of me back. This gift, or ability to write started somewhere. I came from a family of disciplinarians, teachers, and soldiers. The women in my life,…

  • If Cards Tell Tales

    There are 52 cards in a deck and each one has a different story Judging Others People assume they know other people’s stories. So in their minds, they already judge people’s characters. Shrek, the 3D cartoon ogre, sadly affirmed that people judge even before getting to know him. This, of course, is because of his…

  • My Tiger Stripes By Njabulo N.

    Self-Esteem In a world full of racism, competition, and all manner of vices, I chose to care less about people’s opinions of me. Hence I wouldn’t let those take all of my attention. I don’t have the time to worry about what others say in regards to my race, complexion, height, or status. I won’t…

  • Quote: Love

    Love knows no colour or creed or nation. It’s a torch that, if appropriately harnessed, can heal and overcome anything – Oke Iroegbu.

  • Untold Stories

    Little twinkle stars bold Upon the vast void Where invincible forts hold Abundant stories untold

  • Muse: Imagination

    The fireside is my favorite stage And I’m set to be the entertainment So listen to the fire lick the wood, And to these words and humor Here’s the realm, I created in the mind; A guard musketeer belts his gun, An impatient innkeeper ordering, The butchers to supply some beef, All preparing for the…

  • Quote: On Confidence

    When you believe in yourself anything is possible.

  • Quote: Light

    The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it

  • Poetry: Wait or Not?

    Sometimes, some things are not worth waiting for I Waited When I was a teen, I found myself in a situation where I had to wait for a girl I fancied to return my love. And yes I had opened up to her. So I only had to wait for her response. She asked for…

  • Quote: On Love

    To give and receive love, we need not wait for perfection – Oke Iroegbu.

  • Poem: Hear The Clouds

    The Clouds are Angry Dear friends, as I write this, it’s raining cats and dogs out there and goodness, the cloud is very angry. Have you read the tale of the angry cloud who flooded the earth, whom he accused of stealing his wife? If you haven’t, don’t worry. I’ll tell you about it another…

  • Tradition of Greeting

    In African fables and tales, it’s believed that people have met with good luck just by greeting strangers Welcome to the beautiful morning of June 1st, 2021. According to African tradition, it’s customary to greet anyone you meet along the way. Some cultures consider it taboo not to greet people, especially elders. Here’s a tip…

  • Reflection and Dusk (Poem)

    Reflection: Day End & Kindness Why do I like it when the day ends and the sunsets before my eyes? That’s a question even I may not be able to answer precisely. Well, I don’t just enjoy the beauty of sunsets; I also worry about many things. Each evening offers a perfect opportunity for self-reflection.…

  • Love Poem: Remind Me Again

    Why Not Love? Do I need to be in love with someone to write about love? The answer is no! As mentioned earlier in a blog post, I always write about love because of the natural and phenomenal beauty I observe. I’ve trained my mind to see the beauty in everything and anything. Consequently, I…

  • Break The Silence by Njabulo N.

    Police Brutality Police brutality is a disaster. It’s quite unbearable to watch the ones we entrust with our lives and protection evolve into civil nightmares and agents of dismay. Sometimes it seems that people do not have rights anymore. While there are global protests against police brutality, little is done by government institutions to address…

  • Lullaby: Down By The Riverside

    {Shepherd lore…} Down by the riverside, I wait for my flock to graze, I listen to lovely young lambs call out to their mothers, I wait for the sun to set and for the breezy evening to arrive, Thoughts of a warm bed, stacked with hay return to me, Of the night sky, which is…

  • The Story of Love by Arunav Barua

    It would be so easy to let go today What was held in the heart yesterday This bond that has found sure essence Of love that beguiles the mind, of sense… Without sense then, let this new flower bloom My heart besotted, wanting you in this room Where I tell you that your beauty sublime…

  • A Kind Charge

    Sweet fragrances cling to the hands of those who distribute roses What if you had the power to make the world better, To put a warm coat over someone’s shoulder Or give out polite words and beautiful flowers? Do not hesitate to be kind no matter what the world is turning to.

  • Night Poem: Your Love

    I’ll tell the world what Your love means to me… Your love is kind and the peace that steers my boat, It’s the song of the bass guitar playing in my heart when the beats stop, It’s golden sunrise and the joyful birds singing about its glamour, It’s the serenity of walking alone and being…

  • Speak Up

    Silence is not always golden When it comes to caution and discipline, silence may be an adversary. Take, for example, seeing a kid who rides bicycles on the busy road and deciding not to warn him of the hazard. Also, consider not calling the police instead preferring to record or watch gang violence across the…

  • Humanity First

    The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life Birds up the trees There, up the trees, I saw several nests. I knew more were there because I could hear a multitude of birds chirping. Most of the nests were…

  • Sunset upon the river bend

    Sun set slowly above the wood Shadows appear, shepherd dreams; A soft breeze upon evening tide, The smell of sheep dung, Slices of malted bread, Songs from the wine inn, Situated by the river bend, Sober men drink their heart fill, Silent hills, retreating birds, Sally may sing her radio favourite, Something to celebrate our…

  • Rhyme: Pensive

    What shall we say Now at this delicate moment of May That we stand on this wet clay Watching the Sun leave the day? Now the leaves fall and fade In the streams, we quietly wade And to our past, we solemnly bade Welcoming the future which the Creator made The dark clouds grow and…

  • Dear Starry Night

    Dear starry night, This quiet and lonely friend of mine here comes once more my fable , passed to me by a surge of the wind , and the waves of the breezy ocean The stars whisper; Dream one more time, dear shepherd . Consider the lilies that grow by the riverside , for they…

  • Muse: Splendour

    The swift surge of the evening air Compares not to your amazing smile Your glittering teeth, the splendour of my soul

  • Love Poem: Remember

    Love poems weren’t my thing when I first attempted to write. In high school, my English literature teacher saw my war book manuscript, which I still have today (goodness, I have a way with books), and thought I could better write about love. I wasn’t into love, you know – an introvert, nervous in crowds,…

  • Loving You

    Loving you feels like the touch of the calm night breeze,Blowing on the open green fields where roses growLoving you feels like a voyage through the blue sea,Where dolphins, drift with the wind and whistle their songsLoving you will be a blissful dream come trueSuch that we journey together, through our imaginations

  • Shadows

    What does it represent? I’ve always wanted to write a piece about shadows. Please note that for the poem below, I am referring to the shadows of man. I’m fascinated by their appearance and have always had many thoughts about them. In some cultures, shadows are considered sacred, while elsewhere they are seen as evil.…

  • Night Poem: Home

    Nightfall dreams A ride through moonshine Home wait for tales

  • Muse: Night Memories

    A silent evening The sun is asleep And the night awake With it, every creature of the dark Burrowing rats, squeaky insects, and birds Country, radio music, dark mists Sweet breeze, lightning, wilderness, Fading fire, lonely happy moment, Where all memories flock There’s a brewing rainstorm, Right from rumbling clouds, Shrieking crickets and night flies…

  • When A Poet Loves

    Poets are unique creatures Living in their playful minds They are facets of adventure Hewn to investigate life & why When poets fall in love They soar in their craft They prevail in fantasies Then lets life pace on art They travel to & fro the moon In their art, there is joy & pain…

  • African Proverb: On The Rat and The Lizard

    Igbo: Oke soro ngwere ma mmiri, mmiri guoro ngwere agagi ako oke English: When a rat swims with a lizard, his hairs won’t dry as the lizards. Origin: This proverb is widely used in Igbo land. The aged use this to instruct young people and children, mostly in folktales. Reptiles are good swimmers and can…

  • First Night Rain

    This night rain flatter my townShe sneaked up our curtainsAnd let her waves wrestle with themThe breeze blew out the candlelightsWhen the thunder howl in his deep voiceEach time the lightning appearsBe sure to wait for some rumblingYet the downpour clapping outsideJust by the dark and slippery balconyTries to let the pata-pata cover all sound…

  • Amuse: ‘Sunny’ April, the Good, Bad and Ugly

    Ah, sunny April, you remind me of many things. You remind me of love, awful weather, happy moments, and good food! The Good 🙂 It’s usually an all-weather month; the sun rises, but the next minute it’s raining heavily. With the coming rains and the dust left behind by the receding harmattan, there’s enough soil…

  • African Proverb: On ‘Disguising’ Lizards

    Igbo: Ngwere nile makpu àfọ n’ala, mana onweghị onye ma nke àfọ n’asa. English: When lizards lay on the ground, no one knows those who have a runny stomach. Origin: This is an Eastern Nigerian proverb. Some fraction of the Igbo nation uses it. The agama lizard just like their reptilian brethren are quadruplets and…

  • Muse: A Tree House Dream

    I hope that someday humanity fully understands that trees are our life. Trees are beautiful. Tree shades are my favorite hiding places. The hot noon sun makes me seek these shades, where I find extreme relaxation and comfort. It’s pretty delightful to sit under a group of trees on a sunny day, writing, reading, or…

  • The Virus called Racism

    Indeed no one deserves to be discriminated against based on race, ideologies, beliefs, and personality. Unfortunately, mankind and his civilization had conquered or are in the process of conquering all kinds of viruses except the greatest of them – racism. If love traveled to another land Then I saw it fly on the wings of…

  • Quotes on Resilience

    Fail big! That’s right! – Denzel Washington Stubbornly persist, and you will find that the limits of your stubbornness go well beyond the stubbornness of your limits – Robert Brault I never lose! I either win or learn! – Nelson Mandela When a man sticks to his dreams he will eventually meet with great success.…

  • Woman

    Dear woman, I smile when I recall what you depict, who you are and the peace you represent. Woman, life-giver A grand masterpiece of nature, Life bespoke of elegance, Of glamour, a living golden statue Fear what it could be When life has no she When we assume maybe Woman, lover She brings peace to…

  • Happy Mother’s Day

    It’s Mother’s Day in my local church, Methodist Church Nigeria. I had published this piece a year ago and here is a revised one. My words alone can’t express my warm feelings for mothers. I had been raised by amazing women who taught and still teach me in one way or another. This amazing gift…