Skip to main content

"OJA"





It’s a new dawn
Shouts and marching; drives towards the converging point
Keys into the padlocks; opening doors yet filled with dust
Opportunities are beaming; there is a lot of noise

Wears are landing on tables, merchandise hanging with pebbles
Eyes are running, surveying; those of Genuity alongside those filled with obscurity
The owner and what he owns; madam shines her eyes on her items of gold
Profit’s the name of the game; the players are giving themselves some close marking

Parents with their kids in the marketplace
The children are running within the market space
Nneka and Gbola; in close bond, with secrecy, dishing out the latest rounds under a market shade
Alfa and the prophet in a hot tussle of putting their truth in the people’s face

At noon
Crawling, walking, running, jumping; as the tempo may seem
Mama t and aunty b; selling the same wears; exchange some couple of twinkle eyes, as buyers draw near
It’s a tussle and jostle story for some folks
Danana and sowoe; in the spirit of brotherhood just made sales on each other’s behalf
It’s a win-win approach for some

The taxi man, in a hasty frenzy, splashes some mud on the spirited sojourner; draws some wailings
Barrows in; with some armoured men to lift your loads, even you; that’s if you don’t mind
Many shouts, so much noise, murmurings, gestures here and there
Bargains are falling; one on another; who wins; the seller or the buyer?

Now rolls the eyes of men as crabs, whose sleep is with one eye
Merchandise; back into the storehouse
Padlocks are closing in themselves, others with the support of the keys
Leathers are covering some perishable and imperishable; providing warmth and secrecy

Sojourners vacating the premises; the players are going off the field
It’s full time for today
But there is always another day; to re-converge at the marketplace
Before we all vacate this place.


Bolaji Olaniba (2018)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

HEAR MOTHER EARTH SPEAK

From steam to the combustion engine Dangerous smokes daily dished out to her baby clouds Even though we are having several meetings; signing many treaties We still haven’t attended to her daily plead See our warmth becoming heat, hope you hear the earth speak Many the Nations their trees; they fell Many countries their Forest; less dense Many cities uprising at much expense Detriment to the soul of the mother without replenishment See our warmth becoming heat, hope you hear the earth speak All the Gs; 3, 4, 5 and more To generates massive speed for our daily needs A reality and prep to face more heat Guess we aren’t checking many things, deforesting to get more Gigs See our warmth becoming heat, hope you hear the earth speak Even the deep isn’t left out of this gory head Mother earth’s squids and whales can’t escape the unchecked human race Coral reefs feeling the heat down beneath, tiny fishes dying of the spills...

OUR WORLD: FAR FROM MEEKNESS

Our sphere though laden with many souls, but not many 'souls' Many clans, many groups, many races, yet many hates  Discrimination, prejudices, stereotypes, greed and bigotry forms at least many hates  Our faces gloom, many faces dried, yet many hearts filled with hates Help is far, piety is missing, bliss is wanting, we've sent meekness packing  We are proving our worth by monuments of mammon and by violent contest, for we've sent meekness packing Enough has been transformed to scarcity, safety to war; for greed came knocking, so we sent meekness packing  We are considering our unique identity above our humanity, less or no empathy; for we've sent meekness packing Though we strive and fight, though we battle for supremacy  Alas! as it is written in the books of Yeshua, only a kind of humanity shall reign upon the earth The meek, yes the meek: they shall inherit the gains of this sphere Yes! they shall reign in the lands, hence, we could choose their path Bo...

AND SO WHAT? (THE COSTLY NEGLIGENCE)

A couple of intrigues in my Niger area; I graduated with a 4.99 Cgpa Society: and so what? I can invent I even built a model helicopter out of scrap and the dustbin Society: and so what? I am morally upright I love and keep the laws of my father land Society: and so what? I work hard Earning my money from my daily struggles Society: and so what? I shun bribery I never meddle with corrupt practices Society: and so what? As a student I shun exam malpractice I believe in the genuity of my ability Society: and so what? See I want to become a banker, lawyer or an accountant I want to offer standard services to everyone in the society Society: and so what? I hope to take many kids off the streets Ensure a hope for them and ensure they are educationally fit Society: and so what? Even though this terrain is not smiling una mehn, I am just gonna keep keeping on Society: and so what? As a professional athlete I...