Last night, I dreamt of you again That you shamed thousands of miles That you spited mountains and valleys That you crossed three rivers, nay, seven Just to be with me Last night, I dreamt of you again Of your crystal, roaming eyes Of your enchanting face Of your smile Of you Last night, I […]
FIRM GRIP ON YOUR NECK
Story tugs at your shirt Firm grip on your neck Strangling you Slowly Time to die . No, not die Perhaps time to kill Time to take a knife Slaughter laziness On the altar of words . For, atimes, dear You don’t kill something Yet something kills you . Pick up your pen Yank your […]
HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS GAPING HOLE?
For Dare Amuda, that intelligent friend for whom there would never be a replacement, snatched away from our affectionate grip by the cold hands of Death. *** The air of sorrow fills me like an inflated balloon Where do I begin to recount this tale Of a flower that withered before its full bloom? Was […]
CAN I?
Alone, I did I took that path again The one we last walked Hand in hand You looking into my eyes Now and then Giggling Your name now plays in my head Like an Indian song on repeat The sound is audible Even melodious But its impact eludes me As steadily as water Leaking through […]
WHAT DOES MAN WANT?
Bread and hide and shed, they say Form the tripod on which rests his soul Deny him one and his life shall crumble Like balls of cheese under stoneweight. Food for the stomach, stomach for the food Both shall someday perish, cries pious man Yet he eats and drinks in the morning And slugs it […]
A RECONCILIATORY POEM: TONGUE AND TOOTH
This is my longest poem ever. I wrote it to pacify my big sister when we had a little misunderstanding months ago, and it accomplished the purpose. Hallelujah. DEDICATION For you, Ayosunkanmi, that this hovering vulture may pass, and leave the chicks unscathed, even stronger. I Have you not heard, Ayosunkanmi Of the story of […]
FOR C.JAS, MY OWN AREWA
C.Jas, I thought to let you know That sometimes you’re like sensimillia, Throwing me into intermittent spasms of euphoria, Or that I’m an incorrigible drunk, and you my inebriating wine. *** My sanity too often I doubt, ‘Cause I allow my mind to wander much, Like some nomad, unable to decipher what was And distinguish […]
ONCE UPON A TIME
Once upon a time when my heart belonged to me When it lay fallow and grew wild as a virgin land Bringing forth grasses and shrubs and trees Lo, the grasses bowed to the shrubs And the shrubs paid obeisance to the trees And all the trees genuflected to a tree But that tree kowtowed […]