Bright Lights

Tags

city life, failure, poetry

Bags packed, heading out the door
Should I, can I, may I?
Tis the adventure of a lifetime
Bright lights beckon me, warm lights bid me adieu
Spending my last night under the stars
Knowing I will soon be one. 

Basking in the hustle and bustle
Barely noticed, just another stranger clogging up the road
Daily, like a snake shedding skin, so the allure comes off
Revealing a grimy, seedy underbelly
My precious dreams, lost to me
Hidden in the shadow of the pillars of civilization 

Lights not bright, but dim and intermittent
And here I find a grim acceptance
In my hustle, a mark established
My grimy prints on the sands of time
I am here, here to stay. 

Holey and patched, once desired, now worn out
Starving for affection, loved in all the wrong ways
Spare me a kiss and a few notes, please
For love alone won’t pay these bills.
Shorn and shunned, battered and bruised,
I wear these battle wounds with pride.

Serendipity

Tags

overcoming, poetry, seasons of life

Palm fronds bowing my way
Keeping me safe from the sun
In this shaded glade

Snowflakes dropping from above
Cleansing the land
Turning all pure and white

Rain drops falling on my cheeks
Washing away my tears
Reminding me I am alive

Sunshine warming my blood
Thawing my icy heart
Awakening all to blossom and shine

 

Unashamed

Tags

weight, woman

All fancy frills, dolled up in heels,
A little nip and hold here, a tuck there,
Keeping the wobble away from prying eyes.
Imperfections hidden and tossed aside,
Or perhaps not,
For I see behind this glass facade

Do you dare to be naked and unashamed?
Baring your all for me to see,
I foretell the discovery of common ground.
Flaws to revel in and enjoy,
As we roll around in the bulk that is us.

Childbearing hips proudly on display,
Surely and truly, I waddle from time to time,
With the friction between, a time-tested fire starter,
Not a gap will you find, nor washboards hard and sturdy.

Am I fat and lumpy or svelte and curvy?
Truth is, I simply am
Warm and cuddly, a joy to behold and hold
And testament to the diversity that is woman.

Gistmonger

Tags

gossip, tall tales

Coming together to share and cheer,
Her oft unspoken goal to delight and titillate the ear.
Speaking of plights both experienced and heard,
A wagging of tails, a loosening of tongues,
Embellished tales, exaggerated whispers,
Honing the tools of the trade.

The giving of a story in exchange for emotion,
Even a sigh would do,
Much preferred that you shake your head viciously
And find fault with all accused parties,
A step on the road to being a steady stop on her path.

I end with this word of warning,
Remember that no one is sacred.
No, not even you, dear friend,
What have you to offer but a worn-out welcome,
Better the sharp indrawn gasp of shock,
As she barters your relationship for more.

Love Lost

Tags

city life, love, rat race, work

Hey mister in the crisp white shirt and shiny shoes,
Slightly veering to the right as I walk your way,
My stench is but a reflection of all I’ve been through,
It tells a tale of life and struggle.
You judge me with just one glance,
Stop and hear my story,
I promise it won’t cost a thing.

I loved a man, oh how I loved him,
Tossing my dreams aside to bear his loftily,
We promised a lifetime, through fab and crap,
And walked out the church into a pit
But I stood beside him, that I did,
Turning straw into gold and eating it too,
Crawling, rolling through mud till victory we found.

The sweet aroma of success called my man,
Its allure hiding a seedy underbelly.
Gifts of fancy clothes to make you suave,
Going from cotton goodness to silky sleekness,
Smooth shyster, slithering for profit,
A kobo never enough when two more could be made.

I watched the transformation of my darling,
From a gangly genuine gent to the charming charade of a charlatan.
He danced with the devil, not a fear in the world.
One deal gone wrong, no remorse displayed,
The people rebelled, and a cataclysm followed.
Exploding empires, disappearing darlings,
Tarring me with rubble so black,
All and sundry turned their backs.

You look a lot like him,
Look at me now, pray tell what my crime was,
Did I love the wrong man?
Was my scent not enough to sustain him?
I walk these streets daily, searching for my love.
Tell him I wait, scattered pieces of us in hand.

Playing on Heartstrings

Tags

Fairy tale, Heart, love

I saw you from across the distance,
And this well-hid heart skipped a beat,
Sneaking another glance your way,
The noise of those beside clamouring fades away,
Phenomena oft considered fairy-tales till my gaze upon you fell,
As they form a backdrop that enhances this vision.

Sucked into this magnificent maelstrom,
Perhaps I’ll go dancing on the streets,
Singing and making a fool of myself,
Displaying skills I utterly lack.
“This is alien to me”, I whisper to a passer-by
And I take that first step across the room.
Hold me before I do something stupid.

This glorious whirlwind wars with logic,
I am not and will never be a flibbertigibbet,
‘Tis but hormones and chemicals colouring my view.
Make them stop please, I beg of you,
Do not sing to me of stars and roses,
But tell a tale of caution and control.
The clouds without are heavy with the promise of rain,
Within my heart goes pitter-patter from its fear of pain.

I will not walk away with bits of my heart scattered on the floor,
To be blown by errant winds helter-skelter.
Take this gift with care and treasure it,
For this next step I take is heavy and dear.
Hoping for a lifetime together, not a stray month or two,
Life without risk is but a sky without blue,
So I take that last step and say hello.

Shattered Beauty

Tags

broken, Fairy tale, overcoming, restoration, standing strong

Hey tall fella over in the corner,
Don’t look away, I can feel your stare.
As your eyes rove over every inch of my frame,
Do you see me, the real me?
Take a step forward, look a little closer,
Dig beneath the walls that clothe me,
And peel off these layers bit by bit.

These gashes and scars tell their tale
Of battles fought and wars lost,
Pieces of me scattered far and wide,
Begging to be found and redeemed.
Flex a bit of muscle and rescue me from this abyss,
Gather what the wind has tossed without regard,
Put this puzzle back together,
And restore the masterpiece that once was.

Tarnished gold still has value, as does a shattered diamond,
Surely this damaged doll can still be restored
With the master’s touch and a skilled hand.
Gather me in your arms so strong,
Shelter me from the storms of life,
Let the healing you’re capable of flow freely,
And watch this beauty glow from within.

Down a Dark Lane

Tags

danger, darkness, poetry

A thump at my back followed by another,
The moon called to the stars
As my heart went a’wailing,
A stranger behind
Or just an active mind?

Slow down, calm down, listen,
And a strange crunch I heard,
Danger or fluke,
The sound failed to tell,
The night breeze picks up
To the drumbeat within.

Speed up, safe haven just ahead,
Friend or foe, I care not to know
As I jump to the crackle of a branch,
The light in the distance calls to me,
And then I stumble and fall.
Watching warmly as I slip and slide.

Rolling, crawling, walking,
Nay, I shan’t be caught flat-footed.
Come to my rescue, sun and skies,
Awake, shine and dispel my doom
Blind him, I pray thee, with your light so bright
And thus rescue me from this plight.

Celestial Jaunt

Tags

Joie de vivre

The stars twinkle and merrily wink,
Sharing their sparkle and shine with all,
Celebrating your vibrance and joie de vivre,
Fireworks in the skies for one of theirs.

The moon shines bright tonight
As we walk beneath its cover,
To honour and shed light as you walk by my side,
Revealing your beauty, your glory.

The sun chases with a fierce glare,
Throwing barbed darts on all who dare to tread,
Envious of your aura, your brilliance,
For it knows none can eclipse you.

 

 

 

Sisi Eko

Tags

woman

It’s my 50th post,  *whoop whoop*

I recently came across a tweet by @_TheBoombox_ requesting for a deep, artsy poem in pidgin. Deep and artsy isn’t my forte but it got me thinking about attempting something in pidgin. Hope you enjoy the results

PS: my pidgin is very limited, so please don’t judge me too much

See dat bobo
Na jeje e dey him side
Belle no wan hear word
Him suppose go find work

See that sisi
Na one day e take happen
As she dey waka dey shake
Yanga dey sleep, na bobo go wake am

See as them comot go hide
Shoo! Wetin dem dey find for corner
Abeg no loud am
Leave matter for Martha