Four Letters: Ruth


I feel loved and owned, on God
A quarter of the way there and yet enthroned, I trust
Like the Love of God is spread abroad and we’re all touched
Yeah we’re all touched
Small words from her smirk and in all the multiverse I blushed
Lord, I thank you from all of my heart, on God
I’ve never regretted taking this path, I trust

My mom told me a story,
About a woman of her country
Who met a young man, and fell in love with him
He didn’t seem so bad, his people were famed
They dated for a while and then they got married.
The woman’s new home was made of six people.
The Patriarch and his Wife,
The First Son and the woman
The Second Son and his Wife
The Patriarch and his wife came to this woman’s country
With some golden bravery
And the First son’s marriage was a big celebration
Because the Second was already married.
But not long after, the three men died suddenly
And the grief collapsed the whole family
Post-grief, With no grand kids
from her newlywed sons, both now deceased
The Patriarch’s Wife decided she would release the younger women
Let them remarry.
I am old, she said
Let me return to my country

And the Patriarch’s Wife left the town much richer
But now without her husband, and her sons never saw home. Hurrying on the bus,
she couldn’t help but feel followed.
Maybe it was the killers of her men, who knows?
She pushed and slid into her seat
Then froze, that woman was seating by the window
Her First son’s wife
She sat down.

The two women returned to the land of the Patriarch.
The older woman was born there, she ought to sit a matriarch
But now without the respect of when she first embarked,
She returned with the woman and an urge to attack
Anyone who said anymore, “Thank God you’re back!”

Meanwhile the woman went into the city and she found work.
Beautiful and sweaty when she’d concentrate
Very soon, someone spun it to the Boss
There’s this new worker they’ve been warning me about
Boss said chill, I will see her on my rounds

Of course

When He saw her there was no harm in her moves
Head down, numbered of the very least staff
But then she was beautiful
Days later those staff were getting special treatment
Days later only she was getting special treatment
She told the Patriarch’s wife of her predicament
The Old Lady asked, “what’s the name of the Boss? “
And when she replied, the Old Lady gasped
The woman shivered a little.
Had death followed them back here to be total?
The Old Lady said, you are very very blessed.
That man is my kin and you know his intents
Withdraw from his gaze, then go when I’ve said.
And you may have found yourself a bright future
God is thanking you for helping me with my chore

And so the woman found a husband in her dead husband’s hometown
And this time, they lived happily ever after.

How do I know?
Well because my name is Jesse.
And it’s my story too.

Godzniel
©2026

JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED


They say justice respects no man
Yet he has gotten away with evil
They say the law is blind
Yet I see a criminal walking free

A shadow is cast in the bright sky
The day has turned into night
Twenty four hours reduced I must say
What a mystery it is to behold

The sun has refused to come out
Though another day already begun
The atmosphere, a palpable gloom
So intense for these miserable souls

His victim this time is still in cradle
What has she done, I want to ask
The mother seconds my thoughts
So many others too I must confess

But Like before, I saw him escape again
Leaving in his wake his misery
But when will justice be served?
To this murderer who seeks his next victim?


And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Revelation 20:14



AJEGBOMOGUN OLUFUNKE
© 2022

Kings and Pawns

“We’re all Kings and Pawns,”
Napoleon Bonaparte once said,
“We’re all Emperors.”
“We’re all Fools.”

Funny he should say that.
We, like two Kingdoms, square up.
Blacks against Whites.
Decisions. Decisions.

What’s in your hand, sir?

King Pawn to King Four.
Small beginning steps we take
Believing we’re each of us
The only star in our own movie.

But Knight to Queen’s Bishop Three.
Counter moves from counter selves
We sabotage our own efforts
And wonder what’s afoot.

We’re all Kings and Pawns
Though each man in his own heart
Thinks himself different from all.
Superior to all the human-ness.

What’s in your hand, ma’am?

When Bishop takes Bishop,
And we face our true desires
We all deny our deepest truths
For Ego’s sake, for Pride’s joy.

What miserable life we lead
As we approach our end-games
This chessboard cleared of all
And the space evident in all things?

Queen to King’s Rook Three.
Discover Check. And trouble finds us.
Run we may, but hide we can’t.
Now matter where we turn to.

What is this you have in your hand,
Oh fallen man – son of Eve?
What is this you carry in your heart
Oh, daughter of the damned?

If King takes Knight Pawn,
I hope never again will it be said
That we sought for what we knew not
And that all man listened to his own heart.

We’re all Kings and Pawns,
A man once said to the world.
And he – that brilliant devil – he was right.
We’re all – all of us – Emperors. Fools.

Ask not what Mgbeke plans for dinner.
Wonder not when Mgbafo will get married.
What’s in your hand, people of God?
Mind your own business.

Nonso John
(C) 2021

Hilltop Life

Life is that way sometimes
Takes you uphill and presents
You with the luxury of returning
to where you first began

Work is that way sometimes
Regardless of your love for the climb
your bent back will boast of burdens borne
and your reward is just another climb

Rest is that way sometimes
It titillates you to the hilltop
Then bores a hole deep in your soul
So you go climbing for her again

Four verses four lines each
Living could be more than hills on threes
Keep making that trip to the top
and sow seeds of you with every step

– Ezeonyeka Godswill
(c) 2021

In Sickness

You were supposed to have his back,
Be his anti-body in this sinful world,
He broke the tablets of our hearts,
When he left us for you,
You had him looking above this cloud,
This cloud of flaws hovering over humans,
You were his mentor; a star guiding him into this Perfect life,
A view obscured and inverted to our hearts,
But a clear and perfect reflection to him,

He never for once ignored your call,
Remember when he housed you with his sisters; Mary and Martha,
He never for once judged and questioned you,
But when he needed you,
You were far from home,
You could have used one of your tricks,
To race against time and space,
But you didn’t, instead, you chose your work over him,
I guess he was always a second choice,
A means to an end; the path to our hearts,

Four days! He has been dead,
This tomb now clothes his lifeless body,
The passage to the afterlife,
And here you come with your twelve,
Wearing sad faces and tears,
Like a kid who lost his candy,
If only the news of his sickness,
Had quickened your feet,
To behold your friend on his sickbed,
Maybe he would have seen another sunset,
Maybe I would have felt his lips on my forehead,
Maybe his Aunt would embraced his warmth one last time,
Just enough for us to bid him farewell,
But you abandoned him,
You broke your vows,
The communion of promises you both shared with one another,
Sleep on Lazarus,
Your friend, Jesus is here,
To say goodbye to his dear friend,
Whom in sickness, he abandoned!

Olaoye Adeleye
(C) 2020

Let these lines stand proof i said it: the reply

On this day I found my thirst
I am life for no love I thirst
Am disgraced by just this grace
Let these lines stand as proof… I said it

Thirst or not, write or wrung
Life and love, none or more
Grace or Craze, choose a race
Let these lines stand proof I said it…in your face!

Davnique like Blyton, having a need
To be a little spectacular, not today indeed
Blowing my mind like a volcano freed
Let these lines stand proof I said it

Oh, una sun start
They say is four lines me I need like eight stat!
But you should landscape your screen before you count it
Let these lines stand proof that I said it

Script beauty let my Baby act it
Forge next year let me yesterday it
And I began already when I thought about it
Let these lines stand proof I said it

Stand proof I said it
Arm me with the truth Bros
So I can Arya Stark deathly hallows
Many seek hilled woods till my pens speak
Let these lines stand proof… I said it!

His tree will be mighty
If to my Yahweh him go bend knee
For to live is Christ and Paul thought this
“Let these lines stand proof I said it.”

Nonso-sama
Kinda who I’d rather read than give answer
But lemme say I miss you Big Papa
Let these lines stand proof, I said it; instanta

The Niel
Felzpoecy
© 2019