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 […]
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Love As Living Water
Love like precious elixir, Green, blue, of many hues Pure as the sweet spring – Leaping water, living waters, Flowing fast, east and west, In haste to lands far away, I desire, fetch this life-giver, This abundant zest of vitality So that the glamorous spring May birth a new beginning One that won’t lack anymore
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 […]
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 […]
Igbo: Egbe bere, Ugo bere, nke si ibe ya ebele, nku gbajie ya English: Let the Kite perch, let the Eagle perch, any that forbids the other from perching, let its wings break. Origin: This proverb originated from the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. It’s commonly used when trying to settle disputes or for prayers. Meaning: […]
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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 […]
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Short Story: True Beauty
the true beauty of the word beauty is felt when we see things differently… One Word – Different Opinions Everyone has a different notion about beauty. To me, beauty is a function of the heart. Beauty is everything that makes someone or a thing wholly pleasing, attractive, or acceptable. Hence, beauty goes beyond the physical. […]
People always make fun of others because they think they are different Well, it’s not a bad thing to be different. So be the very best version of yourself.
Do not fear failure, fear regret Arise! Wake up! This is a clarion call! Resolve to take action today. Write that book or lyrics. Volunteer. Start that business. Vocalize that song. Take dancing classes. Work out. Travel. Live. Just a take step. What will it be? What will it take? If Failure or Success? If […]
Cheetahs are the fastest land animals
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 […]
{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 […]
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Moonlight
I behold the nightfall across the dark blue clouds I watch evening carry desires of men waiting to unfold I enjoy the sensation of the imminent weekend Drums of merrymaking sound miles off, Cackling, singing, every bit of mirthful noise However, the shepherd sits to enjoy his time alone I hear deep-voiced frogs calling out […]
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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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 roadside For they care only for the […]
The swift surge of the evening air Compares not to your amazing smile Your glittering teeth, the splendour of my soul
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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
Every day should be designated as Earth’s Day Indeed, I acknowledge that today and every other day should be proclaimed as Earth’s Day. Not just as the planet which harbours life, but as a reminder to treat it with more respect. There are so many ways to treat the earth right. But one thing is […]
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 […]
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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 […]
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 […]
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It’s Easter 2021
May this season bring us all love, peace, and happiness. May we find joy through these turbulent times and in all we do and to show compassion to those who need help. May this season bring us hope and remind us how being godly can help man conquer all his troubles—a happy Easter celebration to […]
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‘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 […]
Egypt’s Nile river, life-giver. One fascinating thing about the African continent is its landscape. From the mountains of North Africa through the Sahara dunes, down to the forests and savannah of West, Central and Southern Africa, there are wonderful things to behold. The sunny climate and the glittering water bodies in Africa add extra flavour […]
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 […]
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Muse: A Tree House Dream
I hope that mankind will one day understand completely 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 quite a delightful thing sitting under a group of trees, on a sunny day, […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Dear Friends, Good to see you again. I trust you are doing well. I’ve got a story that was sent to me by a friend on Whatsapp. Sadly, the story portrays reality, people measure progress and success with that of their friends, classmates, and relatives even with the limited information they have about them. I […]
Kokookoroko kokorokoro A greeting calls from afar, Children ran out excited As if the message was for them But then, who knows? Heads up, let’s listen Kumkum korookom Another beat rings out Pushing the mild hit Into the ears of the heaviest village sleeper ‘Oh how cute, it is the King’s messenger’ ‘A tall and […]
Women are the real architects in the society I’m pleased with the roles women play in bringing worlds together and for the peace and love they represent. I’m happy that the world is waking to the reality that women are significant and must be treated with care, respect, and affection. I’m optimistic to see more […]
Igbo: Nwata akwô na azú amaghī na ùzó di anya English: A child strapped to the back of the mother does not know the journey is far. Origin: The Igbo people of Southern Nigeria use this adage. In many societies, it’s prevalent to see mothers, young and old, strap their babies behind them, especially when […]
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Africa Changed Me By Nikki Lockwood
The open-air safari vehicle rattled along the golden dirt S-28 road, in Kruger National Park. As the wind whistled through the golden grass, I reached out my arm, letting the grass brush against my palm as I passed it by. Even though I was shaded by the canvas roof from the bright African sun, small […]
Dear Politician, I write to you with a sad heart Somewhere in my being I grieve My blue ink run fast on paper Like red from men on the streets I wonder why you look elsewhere Sipping your tea with disgust While this nation fall apart! Trust is a rare commodity We gave all to […]
A brief intro When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later when nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies […]
When summer finally came, a lot had changed The last snow melted and the sad land woke Grasses started growing, covering the outer earth So those who burrow scrambled out from the dust Soft airs and tidings surround the mountainside Sending sweet emissaries around the valley below Vines, myrrh, mistletoes and pines sprout happily In […]
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 […]
Oke Iroegbu's Blog (African Bard & Storyteller) 