THE TORMENTED MOTHER

The land was cracked for lack of winter rain.
That caused the crops to die, the foremost grain.
The people and the town got famine struck;
Those who could leave had fled; the poor were stuck.

Beside my house there was a leafless tree;
Two birds had made their nest; l loved to see.
They got two chicks that made me stick to sight.
As parents cared for chicks through day and night.

The father died, the mum was near to fall;
Too hungry, she came to my window sill.
I held some grains to feed that hungry bird;
Her hunger was much bolder than her dread.

It perched my thumb and ate her fill and went
Towards the chicks that waited her advent.
She mouthed them all the grains that l gave her
To make them flutter, stand, and twit with cheer.

She came back to my sill, too weak for want,
And thanked me ere she died for my great grant.
Her look begged me ere she sent out her soul,
" please feed  my little chicks; they are too small."

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
___________








THE TORMENTED MOTHER

The land was cracked for lack of winter rain.
That caused the crops to die, the foremost grain.
The people and the town got famine struck;
Those who could leave had fled; the poor were stuck.

Beside my house there was a leafless tree;
Two birds had made their nest; l loved to see.
They got two chicks that made me stick to sight.
As parents cared for chicks through day and night.

The father died, the mum was near to fall;
Too hungry, she came to my window sill.
I held some grains to feed that hungry bird;
Her hunger was much bolder than her dread.

It perched my thumb and ate her fill and went
Towards the chicks that waited her advent.
She mouthed them all the grains that l gave her
To make them flutter, stand, and twit with cheer.

She came back to my sill, too weak for want,
And thanked me ere she died for my great grant.
Her look begged me ere she sent out her soul,
" please feed  my little chicks; they are too small."

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
___________

THE SUBLIME FIGHTER

How dare you, weak bird, such a cat resist
When it attacks your chicks and your small nest ?
You know that your defence will have no hope,
Yet you defend your chicks till dead you drop.

The birds around just look at you and laugh
As your fight with this cat is mad not safe,
And wonder how you can fight such a foe ;
You should be out of mind such act to do.

The bird falls dead and her chicks are devoured ;
The cat leaves with the nest void and destroyed.
The watching birds approach to cast a look
At that dead bird whose wounds cause severe shock.

They find her lying near the trunk of tree.
With broken beak but face so full of glee
As if the face is saying," l'd died first
And did not see my chicks in blood immersed. "

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
____________

I WAIT FOR A VISIT .

My Lord, what more attracts my eyes
Than your light which shines through the skies
That shows how serene is my Lord
Who is so clear and pure like gold ?

I look up and behold that light
Which gives me courage from Your might.
I need this strength to feel so bold
And then l love more my dear Lord.

On earth, we love who are near us
And come to visit our house.
I visit You every Sunday ;
Why don't you visit me one day?

How can a person filled with fear
Be glad to see Who scares him near ?
He loves to see and spend his time
With That Who makes him feel so calm.

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
____________

TRUE LIKE THE SUN

Once you love you can't have your love undone ;
It starts to stay and outlive the bright sun .
The sun may discard its light and its heat,
But your heart will join your love with its beat.

Love is a passion that enslaves your soul ;
It starts to stay and be in full control,
But such a slave you would delight to be
As your life's meaning through this love you see.

Love can lead you to sacrifice unknown
That makes you understand what Christ has done
When He along the way of passions walked
And put on painful cross yet never balked .

You go through hardest paths just for a smile
Which once beheld, you find it quite worthwhile
As love has its own rules and queerest lore
Which only those who live it can explore .

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
____________

THE STONE AND KERNEL

Great work of art, what can you be?
A great charm that delights to see
As you sow joy inside the heart
And bear new hope to blinded sight.

I sit to read and strain my mind
Not just a boring sight to find
As life is full of such dull scenes
That fill the streets and magazines.

But l look for what can refresh
My mind, and my dry heart enmesh.
If life is sad, you can find means
To break the dull, boring routines ;
You can find ways to bring bright rays
Into the gloom that darkens days.

You can explore a deeper sense
That gives us higher confidence
In hidden strength in our depth
That despair attacks ere its birth.

Where are your strong teeth, work of art,
To break the hard almond apart
And reach the core of tasteful pith
That renders life full of great mirth ?

The art which is of worth to read
Is that which goes so deep inside
The rocky mine of jewels rare
As rarest gems are hiding there.

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
____________

DEATH, THE CHEERFUL BIRTH

I'm lost inside a dense forest.
To find my way out l can't trust.
My fear has started to prevail
And sweat began me to assail.

How fearful life is when not sure
And where you go is quite obscure.
You fear all kinds of dreads and pains
That your obscure setting attains.

The forest may contain wild beasts
That tear to pieces flesh and wrists.
But what unknown state death can bring
After in grave one has been flung !

That makes me think of what faith gives
To make man sure his soul survives.
Then man will feel that his own death
Is nothing but a cheerful birth.

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
____________

SALT OF EARTH

Salt of earth you've lost your taste;
You forget the words of Christ.
What will happen to the crowd
If your saltiness is void ?

Food of life, where is that cheer
When mums with their food appear.
Current salt has got bad smell
Driving children to expel.

I recall when women spent
Their whole mornings hearts content
With the scent which their food gave
When food's smell drove all to crave.

Where are food's smells of the past
When salt gave taste that would last ?
They have gone to no return
As salt smell we hate and spurn.

Life has lost its proper taste
Since salt's flavour was debased.
Great hope we have that Christ's hand
Salt of taste will give our land.

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
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