Category: Poems

Christ and Crumbs

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A tearing loaf is losing its parts,
With the drawing apart of its whiteness within,
Halving its whole,
And leaving an abyss betwixt,
New incompletenesses,

A torn loaf sends shreds raining down,
Relics of fullness, signs of wreck,
Its white lands on earthen ground,
To defy dirt awhile,
Till it lies six feet deep,

This shared loaf once one,
Is multiplied by demise,
To reach the tongues that trust,
Enliven a billion bellies,
And reside in our flesh and blood,

In Christ’s flayed frame we find,
Skin shredded as crumbs,
Raining down from Heaven’s table,
His very self multiplied abroad,
To fill a billion hungry hearts,

Ikenna Nwachukwu

(c) 2018

Niel’s Exegesis

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We cant save, we are the saved.

Perhaps we have barbed ourselves by lifting biblical phrases, again perhaps, out of context.

Our view, or stand, however; is to me as clear as yours. I wont quote 1John3:11-16 or even go into some long exegesis about how we are doing what is natural to us. It is obvious we all see things differently.

We are younger than you, and in our time, today, when we see a mosquito or a fly, we swat it and pray that we dont already have malaria.

When a lecturer tries to sleep with my friend, we get a recording device and set him up…but we pray the senate dont cancel the class results because of him. We know we cant fight BokoHaram, so we leave that to God. But we switch off the TV when we catch our young siblings watching BBNaija. And we change the station when they’re gone and watch GameofThrones.

We want to ignore the world, we also want to change a few things, get some money, go to work and hope the kids can be left alone with the Tv.

I dont have kids yet.

But I once watched porn. Someone should have told me it would erode my self esteem and that I was misdirecting my time, but no, everyone was ignoring the world.

But I blame no one. And am not even telling anyone to change…I’m just venting. In real life, I will listen to you, because I trust you. I will fix my eyes on Jesus and pray for those who I could have helped. After all, all of my help comes from the Lord; they should trust God too.

I just thought perhaps I should love my neighbour as I…nevermind. I will just pray for him.

Where is it written in the Bible that there should be a balance between what is our and what is God’s responsibility?

We should all seek, first, the kingdom of God…

…Madonna once sang, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions; what did she know about good?

…like Paul says, Ephesians 4:11-25, we are all growing to that level where we are rooted in The Truth, all the while trying to speak truth to each other.

The Niel

(c) 2018

Frank

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Reducing scarcity dissolves celebrity statuses so its safe to say that ‘being Frank’ saves the day,

I’m here to be Frank, I can’t pretend just to please anyone… I’m here…to be Frank,

I want friends who are wise so I can fool around safely. So I never wonder if I’m wrong since they shoot their thoughts straight at my phone just to bullseye me with a sharp ‘I miss you’,

I want friends who forget that I have to go and sigh at my goodbyes like we’ll never meet again. Their eyes glow when I appear; I am a star, they are mirrors,

Maybe that’s why they say ‘Tell me your friend, and I’ll tell you who you are,’ because that’s not in the Bible,

But my friends though…

I’m upset when they’re amused and I’m used to the use of my absence for the discussion of weightier matters,

But do I change them like I change shaving sticks? No. I am enough, they are enough,

Some books book a book-long look of flukes for me to get hooked on to with the look of a promise like, ‘Look, if you took on this and that look and hook on to this and that spook, your nook of Looks will be so warm, johns will pray to host you. You can mark it anywhere’,

But they are all tax collectors and like a Mat you write ‘welcome’ on, they are hardly ever inside the story building up as our lives, so they don’t see our flaws while promising windows for each sealing,

Temperaments and Peppermints have taught me this; If you are predictable and pleasant, there still is no guarantee that the other person will be,

In my search for the pinnacle of a stable relationship I took a stab at a popular question. No one sees the selfishness of the silence this question is serially supplied with, the question is…

What are friends for?

Is a friend in need a friend indeed? If yes then answer this;
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friend, which of your friends can you die for?

Don’t worry Jesus died for your friends so don’t worry,
Gies of God to each other. A friend in need is just opportunely so. So once again, let’s ‘be Frank’; I am friends with you because I love you. I won’t always want you around but that’s not a reflection of my displeasure.

And when I’m gone just carry on, don’t mourn, rejoice every time you do recall my voice. We’ve come a long way, from where we began, and I’ll tell you all about it, when I see you again,

I’ll be careful when I am ‘being Frank’ with you so I don’t hurt you in a bid to say my mind,

The stench of fellowships…often murdered by honesty;
The smeh smeh whispers of Frank.

Its safe to say ‘being Frank’ should be replaced with being ourselves,

After all, who is Frank? I don’t know him. Let’s keep it simple,

I am The Niel Quchi; and I just want to make common sense.

The Niel

(c) 2018

Our Love

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Our love tale started like soaking cannabis in hot water. I took a sip. You did likewise. The sole of our feet got baptised in this fever that got our tummies beating the African drums. We looked each other in the eyes, we found dark universe surrounded by a red sea. We could see what love is all about; two heads that one is better than. We felt like screaming but the fear that the onlookers would tag us mad forced us into each other’s arm.

You could hear my heart beating. It was not the Jazz you love. My heart made music, the kind Mozart made. You said it made you dull. But that was my whole life. I tried to let my eyes speak volumes of poetry anthologies but all you heard was words poorly knitted. You smiled. Not the type of smile you decorated the sky with the first day I stood before you as a stuttering child, fearful but determined to let you know that butterflies only visit your garden.

I prayed we never recovered from this euphoria. This state of having the moon constantly using our name in the lullaby it is singing. I told of the symphonies composed by the crickets and frogs ( hiding in the near by bush) in our favour. You said I was silly. Not that kind of silly. You meant that I stole your heart with my madness. I was happy. At least, someone has finally got me in the list of men who parade the face of earth with careless abandon of what lips would say. You were the earthquake my soul yearned for.

That was when you told me of a fairy land. I was the ragged prince and you the princess living in a mansion of a castle. You told me that I was the male Cinderella. I agreed. You made me to be born again. It is no metaphor. You turned me to a suckling praying that I will forever remain at your breast…

(C) Symolean

Refiners Fire (A Rant and a prayer)

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Its easier to preach over our heads,
But where is discipleship, where is discipline?

More people telling us what to do but nobody to see us through. More people to judge, rebuke, reprove, no one asking “how are you?”, ” where are you?”, “let’s both go through”.

Masked up perfection its a war of logos. Altars are not pretty places ask the Mayans they know this. So why am I the only one burning, the only one bleeding, the only living sacrifice sizzling while others are ” sane” and “happy”.
in this world I heard them sing is not our home. so I scribbled down the lyrics cos it had to be true.

Doesn’t anyone want to be free for real?! I know I do!
I know too well who I am why doesn’t anyone else see themselves or do you?

” its so hard to confess when everybody thinks you’re perfect” that’s what Taylor Hills said, I agree with Him. He’s a truther, he’s making sense..

Its a trend now this Cruise control, its like submission, Contrition,  repentance and brokenness is a taboo Come broken five years after your public altar call, no one will look at you, or they would, but strange… “you’re weird” they’d say, “pick yourself up”, they’d say, ” you die like a corpse” they say… But last I checked there’s no cuter way to die to the flesh so I’d wait.
Forget the past they say, don’t dwell on it Christ has forgiven your sins, I swear your Salvation is lit,they say,
hey thanks man I’m excited but I gotta ask this…is it still my past if it was only yesterday or do I give it a few more days, months no years, Hoping I don’t take my – self into Today..

Oh don’t bother answering I have to start again.

Hey, tell me your secret, How long did it take for your guilt to disappear from your fore memory… huh?
Gods grace, I know its true but why don’t I see it..

Lord!
“Whither you go left or right, you’d hear a voice behind you saying – this is the way to go, walk in it”, I’m walking Lord, You get me. Sometimes crawling, many times falling, yet I’m moving. Now I get you, Grace keeps me moving, it was you all along. You behind me, you before me, Its really just us.

Valley of the shadow of death:
Even cute little bodies travel through dark Canals… when the head crowns the body must follow suit to live. That’s mother and Child.

These pangs are getting intense by the second, keep me breathing Ruach Hakodesh, Airways open doing these counts taking deep breaths on your count you are my husband, holding my hand, it wasn’t over until you yelled ” it is finished”, until the cry of new life is really heard across the  earth. No time for still Birth.
Sick and tired of the vain words!

wretched man that I am “yea I said it”, If I never beheld you in the beauty of holiness I’d probably be happy, hole in my chest, basking in rags, rejoicing in shackles,struggling to shine rotting teeth…

wretched man that I am! Now I see me, If I wasn’t convicted I’d never understand why I need new Life, how you paid for my Crime.
purge and cleanse me, purify me for real,

I’m diving into you, Word! the dark side no one sees,the one where you sit on a stool and roll up your sleeves, refiners fire, fuller soap, water of Life wash over, in and through me. You saved my spirit now make my soul see…

The brightness of your coming has exposed what darkness hid. All the lust and pride and selfish schemes, wash and uproot lord, Help me be still.

So then id look in the mirror, its only you I see,
Your Love your heart the only Good in me

Bang me in the fire, shape and mould me, No longer standing in Egypt claiming Canaan

Spirit of Truth Usher me in,

This isn’t about them

Its about

you and me.

#NolongerAhypocrite.

PRIEST

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Your heels are cracked
And journey untracked
You can’t retrace your steps
And so into more misery you step
Each turn leads to different tunnels
The torns you encounter a lesson
But the essence of lessons are lost
When there are no opportunities to retreat

So further you go into the woods
Waiting for salvation, deliverance
Little did you know that the well
You just discovered will dry up by morning
Your sanity is threatened
And so you become a church
And your priest
Take therefore no thought for the morrow

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof’
But the evil is too much for one day
The human says
Back and forth
The priest proposes
The human opposes
It is well
Such a lousy cliche

Human more a realist than the priest
However you can’t let him win
Your life depends on his loss
You bet what you have not on your Priest
Flipping pages and making incantations
This is no mini war
Your life depends on it
Through the tug of war

You add more power to your Priest’s line
Pushes and pulls
Until the line is crossed
And its your Priest lying on his back
And just then
You knew you would survive

ChyD

(c) 2018

ONLY HUMAN

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The story ends the same
No dime for this prediction
Inadvertently, the head remains on top
Experience is not the best teacher
Perhaps this next person will be different
Too sweet not be swept off
Way different from my last mistake
But mistakes come in different shades of grey
Some shades more obvious than others
Nevertheless, this may be a lighter shade of grey

You’ll need brooms and mobs
It has been a while this heart was used
The key hole rusty and needs lubrication
The key dumped in a dump of keys
So Mister, I hope you are as patient as you claim
Trail begins and as my drum of key reduces
And his drum of sweat increases
Alas the keys exhaust and no one fits
You must have missed the right key
In no particular order
Frustrated ransack unfolds
My heart hurts from this careless handling
Enough!
I can’t blame you for meeting a rusty heart
I understand you tried
You are only human

A ban to avoid a rebound
But I wouldn’t wanna let a good man go
So let’s go
You look skilled and smart
Are those tools for picking locks
Because keys don’t unlock my heart
That smirk on your face shows you know your way around
A tweak here and there
Alas, this is the very first time I’ll be accessed this fast
But you didn’t unlock a gold mine
You unlocked a dumpster
Grab that broom Mister left
Hold on
Your eyes are teary
The wheezing sound you are making
You can’t be here
Go get some air
It’s not your fault you are asthmatic
I understand you tried
You are only human

Some time to mourn
That’s the end
Then tagged along a real man
Not flashy like the rest
But it’s high time I switched tastes
Big rough hands can surely clear this dumpster
You won’t be needing a broom
Grab a rake let’s get to work
The filth makes me sick
A lot of baggage I have to carry around
It leaves no space for inhabitants
Raise the table, revenge
Raise the cushions, pain
Keep raising, keep discovering
Why are you jumpy
Why is your heart racing
Oh you hate crawling things
How would you not expect mice and likes in a place like this
I’ll spare you
Go
I understand you tried
You are only human

Don’t seat there and judge me
I would clean myself if my eyes can see my back
This is where the journey ends
But hold on
I hear of an invisible superhero
I’m not one to see marvel comics
But they say he’s justice league summed up and more
There’s nothing to lose so why not
After introduction
We kick off chatting
The first thing he tells me, I love you
Hollup!!!
You must be fast and furious
Be turbo for a while
Day after day he proves it
When I throw my tantrums, he stays
When mice and likes run past, he stays
He doesn’t mind staying in my dumpster
But with each conversation we have, nuisances disappear
His words are vacuum cleaner
Systematically he sucks up the dirt
Plants flowers and have butterflies dance around
All trash that keep me down is gone
Now I fly
Where humans fail, the invisible superhero thrives
I understand he wins
He was human, now God!

ChyD

(c) 2018

RENEGADE

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I hear the door creek,
It’s banged lock.
I wake up from my sleep,
It’s all dark,
I try to move my feet,
It feels stuck.
I try to move my hands,
I feel ropes.

That’s when I realize,
That I am trapped by ropes and chains,
To a chair of endless pain
And I don’t even remember my name.

How can that be,
There has to be a reason why they have me,
No way my name was “Mr. Kidnap me”,
I had to be important of some sort,
That’s why they needed to grab me.

For a moment I listen,
There’s not even the slightest sound in the distance,
For a little while I struggle,
Hopeful to get free from painful sorrow.

Choicelessly, I choose the obvious,
To scream till even the walls decide to pay attention,
Frankly, I don’t even know if walls exist,
Or if this is all just in my head.
How could there be no sound but me in the distance,
How could no one have even heard.

I feel the chains tighten across my chest,
The pines an inch deeper into my legs,
This is hell,
Frankly I’m exhausted,
After all, my blood is all wasted,
Let me just die, after all at burials I always feasted.

And just at this moment,
This moment when I am done fighting and chose to sign out,
This moment when I don’t even have strength to cry out,
This moment I finally choose to die out.

I doubt you would believe it,
At this moment I don’t believe it,
There’s a shadow trying to be reaching in,
Yes a shadow.

Frankly the darkness is now shallow,
The light only my eyes can try to follow,
For there’s just little life the darkness didn’t swallow.

Till this moment,
I didn’t recall,
That till I choose LEFT,
I was the child of THE KING.

National Poet

(c) 2018