Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Tag: stories

  • Maybe 3

    Maybe shadows tell stories too

  • Quote: If Nature Told Stories

    If nature; places, objects, and animals told stories, they would have so many incredible stories to tell.

  • Diary of A Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 6

    https://wp.me/p1F7lc-3IV

  • Folklore: The Goats and The Tortoise

    Two goats fought over a loaf of bread. The tortoise saw them and offers to resolve the issue. He tore the bread unevenly and because it’s uneven he takes a bite from one half. But the bread remained uneven. So he took another bite and continued until there was no more bread left. The goats…

  • Another Tale of The Wild Woods

    When beautiful summer came… Upon the glades and vales of the wild woods The Mountain took her position and stood quietly by the forest side, Sniffing the sweet smell come from fresh growing flower shrubs Happy birds came flying home Followed by pretty insects and the boar herd The skies tinted with blue skirmish Sometimes…

  • Story of Compassion: The Brick

    Dear Friends here is a story about compassion, shared by a close friend on Whatsapp. A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighbourhood street, in his new Jaguar. Suddenly, a brick smashed into his side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the car back to the spot where the brick had…

  • Folklore: Tortoise and The Spirits 1

    Growing up Growing up was fun. School holidays took me to the countryside, where I was acquainted with folklore life. I have done strange but funny things like wearing a girl’s skirt to play with other children (that’s a story for another day), returning to the stream to bury a dead crab I killed, attempted…

  • Story about the Tongue

    Once, a chief told one of his servants to bring him the best meat from the market. The servant brought him a tongue. The next day the chief told the servant to bring him the worst meat from the market. The servant brought a tongue again. “What?” the chief said. “When I ask for the…

  • Keeping Valuable Relationships

    Sometimes those who crown kings don’t look like kings and may never become kings but they can help one wear the crown. A short story There was a poor man who wrote a book at the age of 40 and decided to launch it on his birthday. He had no money to fund the launching…

  • Another Tale from the Wild Woods

    There’s a land behind those ancient hills Hidden in the thick greened forest, One of mighty foliage, brushes & roots Dark green shrubs gather by the riverside Ripe fruits plunge into the quiet waters And fish schools scatter in excitement Brown and black crabs meet to get drunk Squirrels watch them, amused from treetops The…

  • A Kind Story 2

    I received this story from a friend and thought I should share with you. Folake, a primary school teacher, was transferred to a different school and immediately appointed as a class teacher of a class five class. On her first day in her class, she noticed that a boy named Kola was different from the…

  • Poetry from Skies

    There was poetry before we learned to write Awesome rhythm rendered as a strong wind might lyrics penned down by clouds, as such And when singing, green vegetation bows There was poetry before we learned to hear Drums that tender soft beats, far but near Brief gaiety across the heavens Heard passion when it stills…

  • Another Tale of the WildWoods

    There’s a land behind those hills Hidden in the forest, One mighty foliage; of brushes & roots At all times, Cloud is blue And King of the Forest Do fall in love with it When the Cloud blush It rains softly; mildly And little creatures Which live in the land Look up to the smiling…

  • Tale of The Musk Rat

    Once upon a time In a land far, far away Where the forests were untamed And animals had clans and kingdoms There lived a young musk rat Who loved his mother so much And took good care of her He would go hunting for fruits And exotic vegetables from the forests And brought them home…

  • Movie: The Ghost and the Darkness

    As we observe our social distancing, I started seeing old favourite movies. I remember this historic film back in the days. Trust me, this is a thriller you will enjoy. Plot from Wikipedia. **** Plot: In 1898, Sir Robert Beaumont, the primary financier of a railroad project in Tsavo, Kenya, is furious because the project…

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 7 (Crocodile at the Stream)

    Dada said I had to be strong to attend the next 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 exercise seriously. The moonlight night tales come once in a fortnight, sometimes it may be delayed especially during…

  • My Friend, the Free Wind

    I like that I soak in the rain, Catching water drops That melt before my eyes I play with Nature’s gifts, Dancing with the wind, My free, worthy friend! Rejoicing when our pots fill To embrace mother Nature’s bliss

  • African Folklore

    Folklore are tales, legends, superstitions of a particular ethnic population. In Igbo culture and other African societies, story telling is unique, such that it is a passage to transmit the tradition of a place from one generation to another. These tales convey the history, ancient messages and old knowledge. They teach morals and virtues to…

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 5 (Fata)

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

  • African morning

    In the morning the mild golden sun rise above the huts and hills Painting the corn fields yellow and making the streams shimmer Upon flowing rivers it glitters, till the dead end below a tree root Big fishes stay ready to strafe up to pick insects off tree barks In the hamlets, dogs chased cats,…

  • Tales of the Wildwood: The Beginning

    Let me tell you about this poetale which was before “Summer returns” and journey of the Ice King who traveled away from his love, the Great Mountain. Winter brought her cold blanket and all living things knew not what to make of her appearance. *** Once upon a Time It was winter And a night…

  • Little Feather

    Dreams are not for you little feather For you must fly and soar above all, Above those who may delay your sails And across thick forests and arid lands Which are nobody’s foe or friend I am jealous of you but wish you well So wave me a bye, spread your wings, And let the…

  • Jorinda and Jorindel from Gutenberg Project

    There was once an old castle, that stood in the middle of a deep gloomy wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy. Now this fairy could take any shape she pleased. All the day long she flew about in the form of an owl, or crept about the country like a cat; but…

  • Christmas Stories 1

    There’s twinkling stars across the dark night, Tiny, shiny dots adorning the wide firmament Then sang the Whistling pines a song, so sweet That the Woodpecker with his beak started a beat And all became amazed, even the Nightingale family Now up the dark skies three bold stars shine gracefully The shepherd was about to…

  • Folklore: King Grisly Beard from Project Gutenberg

    A great king of a land far away in the East had a daughter who was very beautiful, but so proud, and haughty, and conceited, that none of the princes who came to ask her in marriage was good enough for her, and she only made sport of them. Once upon a time the king…

  • The Witch’s Lair

    Once there was a traveler, weak and weary, Fatigued with the burden of travel and bag on his back, And many tiny painful stones hiding in his shoes He carried a bag which held a guitar for he could play But faint was he, clinging closely to his life, Hoping to see an inn or…

  • Muse: Swift Stream

    The blue stream flow swift Three patient toads sit aghast Waiting for the current to pass

  • Self-Control: The Fox and the Crow

    How is everybody today? What are you guys reading for the weekend? I’m compiling a new reading list, anyone willing to share or suggest a book? It’s almost bedtime here, but sleep can wait. I’m trying to study my guide to scholarship application. I have this bedtime tale to drop before I retire for the…

  • The Goose that laid the Golden Egg

    You may agree with me that evenings are best for story telling. In Africa, evenings are valuable family time. Dinner or sitouts allow time to reflect on the days work: achievements and disappointments, and to tell tales. Tales don’t just act as lullabies but convey moral virtues (and vices) as well. Now when a story…

  • Three musings:  Evening, wet Earth and Love

    One: The evening tide Fast falls the evening tide So gather around the fireside, Let us savor this taste of Nature;  Her soft songs, breezes and lecture Two: The wet Earth The sun set before our eyes The wet earth is left to dry For the days heavy rain has left And with her, all…

  • The Shepherds Tale

    Lonely stars filled the cloudy night Crickets quizzed behind the rocks But the lonely Shepherd stayed awake Watching the glittering from the star light Listening to the bleating of sheep, his lullabic songs Sniffing wet and mild airs that came from the lake He lays on his soft pillow of wool Wrapping his arms about…

  • Tale: The Animal King: Confusion and Disunity

    Gather now… Come closer Warm your hands, sit near the fire It is a cold evening, is it? Now pay attention to this poetale I hope it helps warm you up And trust it prepares you for a fine sleep   Once upon a time In a land far away Across seven rivers And seven…

  • A Poetale: Night and the Wind

    Flirty Breezy wind of the south Woo my candle light Which danced like a mad man She paint the wall With the silhoutte of the light Drawing pictures of many objects Showing a magnified view of shapes Scary and gigantic. Titanic! The curtains are thrown up At each blast from the wind And her underwears…

  • Folk: One night, one story

    It has been long I left my village And they must have felt my absence For the moon still shone always But then no one to tell the childrens tales I missed seeing the grey bearded moon I missed the serenity of the countryside I missed seeing the birds circle the sky And the calls…