By: Gift Ono

MAAMI

I danced to the tunes
of death
And in the chaos I made
one request

Turn your eyes from my
mother
Grant me the chance to
repay her

For she has endured all
my mistakes
Grant me this chance to paint
a smile on her aging face.

I drank from the sorrows
of life
And in the stupor, I screamed
and I cried

Color my skin with your
whips
Beat me down to my knees

But spare thou my
mother
Take away the cross
thou gave her
Let her know, what it means
to not suffer.

I slept with the maidens of
peace
And softly I whispered under
the sheets

Build a wall around my
mother’s heart
Plant your seed in her
and chase chaos out

For she has been my
buckler and my shield
And knows not how it feels
to be at ease.

• MAAMI: ( In Yoruba Language) My Mother
  

HAVE YOU BEEN TO LAGOS ?

Have you been to Lagos ?
Have you seen the chaotic beauty
of it’s Monday mornings
Have you danced to the tunes
of its rush hour.

Have you been to Lagos ?
Where the cock crow is later
than normal
For we Lagosians crow before
dawn breaks.

Have you been to Lagos ?
Has thou bathed in it’s
spiritual recital ?
Eko lo wa, Shine your eyes, the
charge of emotional revival.

Have you been to Lagos?
Have you tasted of it’s struggles
and it’s fights ?
The desire to make ends meet
The hunger to find today’s meat.
Have you been to Lagos?
The city that never sleeps
Dem no dey tell person
You don’t live in Lagos
Lagos lives in your person
So remember Omo Eko
wherever you go, don’t forget to
Come back home.

• Eko lo wa: ( In Yoruba Language) You’re in Lagos
• Omo Eko: ( In Yoruba Language) Child of Lagos
• Dem no dey tell person: ( In Pidgin Language) You won’t be told about it

OUR IMPATIENT HEARTS

How long do we take it – the perspiration,
hunger and hope of a better tomorrow ?
Heartbeats that synchronize with the
beats of Canaan
A land flowing with milk and honey
But then we open our eyes to the present
pain and agony.

How long do we fake it – the widespread
smiles of impatience and deceit ?
The rush in our blood to take
the King’s seat
To hold the golden scepter and bring
men to their knees
But then we are awaken to our sore
realities.

The lonely heart longs for things
so many
And patience is the gift of immortality
But we’re humans, aren’t we?
And we live off the wait, hope and desire of a
better tomorrow
The joy of a future we still don’t know
So forgive our impatient hearts
For we’re only mere mortals.