Pain is a necessary part of growth but don’t get too comfortable with pain. Pain that doesn’t produce is pain that destroys.
Ezeonyeka Godswill
#NowThink
Tag: pain
THE YEAR
It started from January
Without a salary
We ate from hand to mouth
Our Landlord sent us out
We spent a lot during Christmas
Now I can’t buy ordinary slippers
My children had to go to school
So I had to sell my working tool
Next month, I lost my job
I was attacked by a mob
I lost my only car
And was constantly in a bar
Next month, my house got burnt
I went to the village and began to hunt
Because of pain and shame, I cried
I lost hope and my spirit died
Until the fourth month
From the grave we came forth
I and a man familiar with suffering
He wasn’t rich but he was so caring
He said, “I’ve taken away your sorrow
Don’t bother yourself about tomorrow
I was crushed for your iniquity
I’ve taken up your infirmity”
He taught me joy in suffering
With hope as his last offering
Now my life has totally changed
The way I see things have also changed
Now my new house is completed
All my children have graduated
I have brand new cars
And I no longer visit bars
I began to act different
Now I don’t need to pay rent
My house is very charming
And I still indulge in farming
I had nothing
Yet I possess everything
To the world I was a fool
But in him was my wisdom full
All because I believed
I definitely achieved
I was also faithful
And that was fruit full
From January to December
There’s a lot of disaster
From January to December
It’s not easy, you grow stronger
Charles Young
©2021
CHILDREN’S CRY
Why are we left?
To always suffer pain
Are there no more hopes left?
What in this world is gain?
What more is there to claim?
What joy, refined is given?
Evil just keeps growing
Suffering persist with a blow
No scene of happiness
No thought of happiness
Where is the future glory
Where are the leaders of tomorrow
Are they not the fatherless?
Ignored, homeless, speechless,
Non-important, useless, senseless
Are they not a prey to AIDS?
Instruments of evil rather than good
Child abuse, drug abuse
Love of sex, zeal to steal
I don’t care, where’s the money?
That’s the world’s request
Where’s the exemplary leader?
Where are the hope, peace and unity?
Where’s the freedom of good will?
Where’s the chance to be good?
Where’s the parental love?
What struck LOVE itself?
Why are we neglected?
Why are we suffering?
Please! Can someone help?
Charles Young
©2021
Heart of gratitude
I lost balance while walking down the aisle of thanksgiving,
I slipped over my challenges, fell and twisted my ankle
I immediately lost consciousness and was rushed to the clinic by an Uncle
At the clinic, I was examined and tested,
“There is something wrong with your heart that needs to be corrected”
the Doctor said
“It is a problem of ingratitude” he continued
“Alas! this malady has been attested” I muttered in pain.
“Clement, your gratitude to God shouldn’t be based on good events and
happy moments. Your gratitude should remain even when there is a
defiant opponent” he concluded , examined me again and left the ward.
Princess Pirinye
©2021
ONE DAY
One day we shall meet Him
We shall see Him face to face
The One we love
The One we worship
The One we adore
One day we shall ride on the clouds
Immortal, unrestricted, unstoppable
Fluid, weightless and free
One day all of life’s pains shall end
All we will know is joy
We shall smile till our cheeks hurt
We shall dance without fear
We shall laugh for all eternity
We shall rejoice in victory
Damaris Akhigbe
©2021
Rape
I didn’t think he would
No!
He was my brother
I didn’t think he would leave me with this wound
He was my blood
I should have known
From the way he looked at me
From the way he often stared at me
I should have gotten the message
The moment he closed the door to the passage
Don’t ask me what I was doing in his room
Dad sent me there
He sent me to serve him
Dad didn’t know his son was a forceful defiling monster
His sick son,
A strong brutal rapist
Would I recover?
The evil touch,
The pains,all to his gain
Was there any gain???
My Body…
Broken beyond repairs
My mind…
Did he rape my mind too?
Why can’t I forget?
The shots of whiskey hasn’t been helping
The cigarettes only makes me remember
Remember how I struggled
How I begged
I can’t forget how he pushed me out of his room
To an untimely doom
Teach your sons to flee!
Tell them the urge won’t kill
Teach them to respect a woman
Tell them No means No
Make them aware of consent
Teach your daughters to speak out
Let them confide in you
Don’t let them walk through life like this worthless broken girl before you.
– Jemima Joseph
(c) 2021
EVEN IF FOR A SMILE
As I gaze the blue sky with my tired eyes
Swimming in the ocean of my mind
Word draining and words building
My tired soul in complete disarray
Will I rise again like these ocean waves?
Renewed with strength that won’t cave in
But this weary soul needs some hope
My tired mind, helpless as all look lost
Would you like some pie sir, a whisper?
My eyes alight with a new glow at the smile
A petite brown haired girl with green eyes
With the brightest smile I ever saw
Yes please, little smiling one I croaked
I stretched forth my tired hands
My grieving soul a teary-eyed. My wife and
My little girl will not return, alas
Oh what a pain untold to lose your world
But this smiling one renewed my hope
Not to end it on this deep blue sea
But to start all over again even if for a smile
Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith
Ajegbomogun Olufunke
©2021
FLAME ON
Isn’t it sad how in a blink of an eye, your world can just flipped like a light switch
You were once top draw now it seem like you have been relegated to the bottom
You thought you had finally carved a niche for your self
That your art will set the world on fire
That nothing could stop you from climbing that pedestal and get higher
Suddenly reality hits you like a drunk driver
That sometimes, the only thing you get higher on have now become dark clouds forming in your lungs
Or drowning your pains at the depth of the green bottle
You wish it could take your thoughts far away from this world like a space shuttle or shield your mind from harsh reality’s sun but even that ain’t strong enough
You have come to realized that Life can become that bully always ready to treat you
But all you ever desired is a soft landing
Become Superman so your skin can be tough
But you see these streets, she no get Joy
What was once beautiful like Helen of Troy
The streets will destroy
Plant a decoy to take your gaze from your goal
Throw mirage of fame and fortune, her aim is to cajole
Sinking you deep into depression and locking you in her hole
Your heart is finally empty, she has stolen your soul
Now you are wandering loose like a kite
Looking for who to take away this noose off your neck and free you from your plight
But in all these struggles, one thing must be gained
That Flicker of hope and faith that you must refuse to extinguish
That call to turn on your human torch and continually show the world what you are fantastic for
That call to distinguish yourself from the lot
That call to tear up the old story and write yourself a new plot
To drift your mind from the norm into certainty
This should always send excitement bubbling on your inside
That you can’t wait to Ex yourself from your past life
You can’t wait for this cross to become a source of strength
Can’t wait to flame on and set the world on fire
Can’t wait to speak resurrections to those souls that have wallowed too long in this graveyard
Can’t wait to help heal minds that have been marred
To clot hearts that have been scared
Yes, your hurt is what’s burning now but no pain is eternal
You can rise from these ashes like a Phoenix
And if you don’t like the song life is singing, just hit her with the remix
Never forget that you are that fire this world has been waiting for
So what are you waiting for,
Flame On!!!
Uba Isoje
©2021
