Be still my soul
The Lord is in control
Be still my soul
There is more than you know
Be still my soul
The troubles are but smoke
Be still my soul
Christ is your assured hope
Be still my soul
You will be made whole
Be still my soul
See what the Lord has done
Ezeonyeka Godswill
© 2025
“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
…seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
…do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
But you already knew that
I might need a coolant
I have to go editing even when my freestyling is witty
My Lady friends like to act like they don’t wanna kiss me
Claiming that they miss me
But they hardly aim time at me
I just miss them back, very simply.
Back to the basics,
Still here trying to make it
They say the boy is harsh but he just tryna sow seeds
Early morning edits
Working while in parties
And all the while I only wasn’t broke when I was saving
And one day I’ll be having enough
To not care for a single account
But right now I’ll be praying the Lord
My options are to whine or to shout
I just want to be part of the cast
An actor or the cameraman,
Let my script be the gospel alight
A wordman from the back of the mic
Fried Rice is boiled
French fries Nigerian
So when I got saved I didn’t change my name
Just add “in Christ” and read the Bible like the rules to a game
Step out the boat
And if I fail to float
I’ll be taking notes
For the future blokes
And their future clothes
Is the future close?
I don’t even know
But I walk and go
One step to go
Thank You UC
I see what you see
The truth is investments help you tolerate and flushit
I always dare to ask myself “Niel, what’s important?”
And then I don’t do that, it’s kinda like zoom out
Where I take stock of the stock fishes that I didn’t throw the hook at
But I can’t help fretting till I eat the Word
And trouble just makes me wanna pray to God
I used to yab those who would ask for more
But now the price of onions got me insecure
My favorite boss said my work was disappointing
I just fell asleep, woke up and rewrote it
I get tired when it’s time to work, and even rough play feels like a job
And I just wanna set up a shop
Profits and knocks, service and love
But the walk is on
One more step to go
Niel Quchi
(C) 2020
There is a place I must hide
Hide to be saved from danger and trouble
If I hide in my knowledge and experience, they will fail me
If I hide in my connections, they will disconnect me when trials come
If I hide in my family, they will fail because it’s not given to them to hide me
There is a place I must hide
If I hide in my status, it will surely disappoint me
If I hide in my beauty, it will fade away
If I hide in my age it will wither like the grass
There is a place I must hide.
My hiding place must be the secret place of the Most High,
God’s presence because security is sure, protection is certain,
Provision is guaranteed, Eternity is sure;
My hiding place must be there and there alone.
BrightObong
© 2020
When trouble comes
When the storms gain the heart of raging beast
And comes charging with such ferocity
When sweet dreams become nightmares filled to the brim with adversity
When the night becomes a drowning ocean
And burdens feel so heavy; all movement is in slow motion
When life is a long line of lapses
And fear is a marksman
Who just loves using my heart for target practice
When trouble comes to me,
I will smile, I’ll laugh , I’ll dance
I will drop a legwork allover the devil’s failed plans
I’ll treat my hands like an orchestra
l’ll turn my voice into a hundred man choir
And give the Lord a full worship concert
I’ll rejoice , for my solution arrived two millennia before trouble came
When I met Christ, there was an exchange of an old life for a new
And through him God’s spirit came too
When God’s spirit became the active ingredient in my composition
My point of view was re-positioned
So as to see beyond the fear illusion
For when he is at work in you, in that instant
The odds against you are variable
But victory remains constant.
When trouble comes I will activate the divine spirit I received
When trouble comes, I may not even see it coming
But I will surely watch it leave.
– Ini Brown (2019)
Christ a poet 