The Shadow He Competes With

She sits beside him, her fingers laced in his,But her mind weaves a face she’s never kissed.A man born of dreams, of whispers at night,He’s perfect in ways her heart thinks is right. Her husband speaks, his voice steady, deep,But there’s another tone her thoughts seek to keep.It’s softer, untested, not worn by time,A melody imagined, without reason or…

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In Tinubu’s Time, the Belly Chooses Quantity

Once upon a time, in the era of Tinubu,When hunger wore agbada and danced in the streets,There lived a man—let’s call him Ojo the Dreamer,Whose belly was a drum that never ceased to beat. Ojo, weary of garri and watery soup,Decided one day to eat like the chiefs.So, he strolled to “Chop Life Restaurant,”Where food looked like art, and…

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A Lesson for All

Oh look, here comes our teacher,With big ideas and loud talks.She says we should always be good,But I wonder if she does too. She wants us to clean our room,But her desk is a messy sight.She tells us to share our toys,But does she share her snacks right? When we misbehave in class,She says we should always try.But when…

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When the Elephant Eats Coconut

The elephant once smashed coconuts with savage might,Each strike a hammer, bending the trees to its monstrous will. But now you see it, slow and mild, Eating calmly, with the gentleness of a child. The days of breaking hard shells with might, Seem distant now, hidden from sight. You meet it soft, but know it well, There was a…

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Tea Pain [A Poem]

I sit by the river, watching it shrink, The currents no longer sing, they choke, Much like us, gasping for air under the weight, Of promises made in gilded halls.The sun rises, scorching the earth, But the trees no longer offer shade— Their branches burdened with the weight of toil, The fruits, too bitter to eat.We now laugh at…

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October First (Another Birthday Song For Nigeria)

Another first day Of the tenth monthOf another yearAnd its caravan of memories Seasons comeSeasons goBut the sky looms above our dreams An umbrella with a thousand holes How I wish I could shout “Happy Birthday, Dear Country”, dance all the way fromOur Delta doldrums to our Sahel fringes To a national song free of “native” and “tribe” My…

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Eviction By Explosion

Step right up, folks! Watch the magic unfold— See how a bomb “accidentally” finds a school. Oops! My bad, says the general, sipping tea, But don’t worry, they were “militants,” probably. Here in Gaza, we play the latest game: “Eviction by Explosion”—catchy name! A house, a block, no, wait, the whole street’s gone, Don’t blink now, or you’ll miss…

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Kings and Queens of the Heart

Kings and Queens of the Heart You speak of royalty with crowns and gold, Yet love—our greatest crown—you cast away. Two kings together, queens, you leave out cold, And on their heads, you cast a heavy stay.But love knows not the rules that you design, It flows like rivers, rich with every hue. So why must you deny what…

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