A letter…

Dear Boss of the Ship,

My Man, I have carried the name on my Instagram
even had it flying with the tweets
Cap_quchi for more than a few weeks

I have lost and gained my pride in writing
A couple of times; looking for rhymes
I found that I could lose myself in trying to get lost
And never find the things I have found about things:

New Techniques stay undocumented
In the old days there’d be government
At the very head of the endeavour to exploit
Now we taunt them

Tell me that you knocked on doors
Let me show you how high gates get in Abuja

But please, I apologize for digressing
Every time I speak, I’m the first learning
That makes me new to me although I think I knew me.

So I put God first and his yes or no
When I turn to walk away, they watch me go

He brings me back to the races
When I leap right over the gates
He’s made surrounding me to face his enemies
It’s plain to see I am thinking I am so enough,
Yam dipped in blood red anointing oil;
Is it the lamb today or the lion?

I hope you read my mind on this “write” thing
I will continue to propagate the writings
Stick the Word in it and let The Lord speak
My imagination defeated before the Lord’s peak

Every time I speak, I’m the first learning
Even when I read what I don’t remember knowing
The trick is to stay grateful, it’s calming

The thesis should be NielQuChi is growing
And he teaches me how to love and to war
How to defend and how to trust or
Do things they will later tell as lore
What has God not seen before?

Me, I think I’m a bit enough
to give a life of this writing stuff
Even when I read what I don’t remember knowing
The trick is to stay grateful, it’s calming

Thank you for the opportunity, 

– The Niel (2019)

Thunder

On my rugged road
To gather coins and grains
I blinded my conscience,
I buried the Lord’s laws

And strangled my Mama’s
Moral whisperings
Just to overtake time and space
Now, look at me !

Look at what I have become
Timeless prince in prison
Hero, who does not exist
Legend of the unknown

I look around and all I see
Is despair and darkness
No one cares for me
Just because the flesh has fallen

My errors are my mine
But Lord you’re my THUNDER!
Forgive me O! Lord
Break my chains, for I am yours

Ugwu David .C
©2019

RESCUE

I found rags to cover up
I take the lonely road home
Trying to hold back tears
– Mum will be so angry –
I’m at the front door
And I can’t ring the doorbell
The door clicks open and Mum gasps
– What happened? –
– I don’t know –
I sob and drop to my knees
– Don’t worry honey, let me clean you up –
She picks me up and takes
Me to her bathroom, peels
The rags off me, picks out
The dying petals from my hair
And cleans off the ashes from
My body. She gently sponges
Me and shampoos my hair
I let out the tears
– I’m so sorry Mum –
– It’s okay honey, you’ll be fine –
I nod
– I love you, you know that right? –
I nod
When she is done, I look at
The bathroom mirror and touch
My face. I see the glow come into
My eyes, I smile and clean off my tears
– I love you –

IfiokAbasi Okop
© 2019

FADE

Spotlight’s on me
I look around
Hoping these eyes
Aren’t staring at me
Suddenly the dress
Mum picked out
Doesn’t feel that
Glamorous anymore
The flowers in my hair
Are falling off, dying
The petals crumble
Colours; white, gold, purple
Slowly fading
No one’s staring anymore
I’m forgotten
But the spotlight’s still on me
I run but the light follows me
I stop and scream
– Let me go! –
I hold up the dress but
It’s in flames
From the hem up,
It turns to ashes
I run into the bathroom
– This is a nightmare –

IfiokAbasi Okop
© 2019

HOPE

I walk into Mum’s room
She has laid out
Another beautiful dress
For me with flowers for
My hair.
– You don’t need a dress to make
You feel beautiful. You are beautiful,
Loved and blessed and that’s something
You have to know, for yourself.
No matter how many times you feel alone
And forgotten, don’t forget to come to my
Front door, this is always Home –

The smile on my face bursts into a beautiful
radiance; the joy of a thousand hearts.

IfiokAbasi Okop
© 2019

The Comforter

When we met I gently opened myself and allowed him in, I couldn’t wait for him to explore my body and soul. 

Like an engine in need of oil I needed his lubrication to get me flowing. He didn’t disappoint, it’s not in his nature to. 

He touched me here and there, overwhelming yet satisfying I stayed put uttering words I was not taught to speak 

Devilish!

This must be devilish I thought 
Confused, I jerked up binding and casting, asking for forgiveness, I could imagine him in shock saying “what is my lover doing”?

I really didn’t care, my sanity was primary at the time. 

“Lord can you hear me” I screamed more 

“Do you consent to this”?

Silence was all I got until I looked down and saw the words Be Anxious For Nothing 

Suddenly it dawned 

The Spirit within 
The comforter 
The awaited day 
A new form of communication

by Imani Dokubo (2019)

I HAVE SEEN LOVE

Though the sun
Escapes beyond the rifts the cloud makes
The scent of dawn
Woven in sounds of streams and breeze

All birthing from genesis
From young- never cease
What’s been said,
Saying let there be light

None can stand His words
Through spirit-life words, we were formed
Blessing invoked when He said,
Let’s make man in our image

After our likeness
Having what he loves-
A lofty hope of divine liberty
Our will free, we were his

He in fore-age,
Knew us by names
Portioned us into diverse ministries
By the fore known destinies

Giving grace, blessing us His’
From a strong heart
Sunk and sickened
With excess of love

TM Sungs (2019)

Where am I

This world is unfamiliar to me
The walls I once felt like breaking now whisper words that heal my cracking

My cracked tone is now pitching
My words no longer echo
Where is this place?

The smell is unfamiliar
The feeling is different
Not the smoky puffs I’m used to

Do dreams feel this real?
Is my mind messing with me?
I really can’t make sense of how I got here

I listened when he spoke
I heard him clearly when he said the words
“You’re free”

I remember
But it only brings me to my next question

Can my life be flipped in just one second?
Can my past be gone with the wind?
I lack answers

But If the branch is who I am now then all I can hope for are leaves to help me birth fruits

This world is unfamiliar to me but I rather stay than leave

 

  • Imani Dokubo (2019)