WHEN IT RAINS

When ponderous rain slap earth like rocket
We envelope ourselves into big blanket
But others lie on the floor without jacket
With water rolling from the roof into their bucket
There they lie close to their wastebasket

Everybody respects the fog
Clothes flee the rope without utterance like a monologue
The Rich man take in their dogs
Lazarus brings out their mugs
Our people go out to struggle in a pirogue

During this rain provision,
There is agricultural productivity to the nation
But if in excess supply causes erosion
Meats added to some pots
Others have nothing in short
Homes hardly purchase maggot

Vote in dry and vouch when it rains
Graduates hustling in the rain
People baptised on ATM queue
Vehicles visit their hospital
Network on vacation
Lives and property at stake

*** holes draw the various maps
The depth and numbers measure our nation's goodness
Wells on our road
Is yours as deep as ours?
Ours never run dry

Leaders ashamed to fetch from it
They splashed it on mama's tomatoes in the market
They splashed it on that prophet's white garment
Look at the road to our schools
Where future leaders learn
Look at the road to a leader's village
The road to Banks, hospitals,churches, mosque, and shrines

Look at that old man carrying it's bicycle
They are splashing it on us
Look at that man with splashy cars and manifesto
Look at him with cups of rice and promises
He is inside his mansion when it rains
Look at your body.

©KPORHO VWEDE DANIEL
A.k.a GENERAL ALI OFFICIAL

Long time ago, they left the  boundaries
Like an eagle from afar, they sight our mysteries
In the system, they saw mismanagement within
They robbed their way in
They killed their fellow uniform man eventually
And the cycle continues circularly
Civilians pursued
Powers misused
Purpose is defeated

We have formally forgotten those days
When virtues of peace were promoted with violence
When the press were oppressed
When justice was jeopardized
When our constitution was constrained to contempt without conscience
When the scales were afraid of scary blood, but love printed papers
When the beaks of singing parrots were broken
When religious teachers were treated rigorously
Purpose is defeated

Purpose came again
Our uniform men are well informed
But they are not well equipped
A great battalion with good  training
Against that without training
A great battalion with pieces of metal
Against that with powerful machines
Ready but not resourceful
Purpose is defeated

No longer dying for the nation
Lets bring down those rebels
A call of duty to the north
They respond with gallant boots and courage
They respond with pieces of metal on their hands
They respond to a place where many have fallen
Even at that, they fought gallantly
They were made to improvise arms
Purpose is defeated

They return with blood stained boots, hands and courage
Their faces and pieces of metal looking down
They have fought a good fight
But sorrow lurks around our families
Women now widows
Offsprings now orphans  
Uncle died as one of them
Father retired as one of them
Pension still on attention, no ease?
Purpose is defeated

Purpose is here again
Retreat!  Retreat!!  Retreat!!!
Fela Kuti sang 'Zombie! '
Check point checking for phone users
****** civilians!  Dont make a call here!
Sheep flogged, goats flee
They get recruited just for revenge
Purpose is defeated

Purpose is here again today
Where natural death is rare
People are killed
People are killing
People are on their way to ****
Cows are chewing crops
Crops are chewing cows
This is not normal!
Purpose is defeated.

©Kporho Vwede Daniel
(a.k.a. General Ali official)

Even if your heart
is breaking ;
Trust me.
Even if you
no longer feel
my presence,
It is because
you didn't notice:
I am there.
Only in stillness
and quiet understanding
Can you know
me as I am.
My silence is
my way
of strengthening you.
It is my way
of encouraging you
to take that
bold step of
faith toward me.
Only my touch
can ease
the pain you
are feeling now.
Even if your heart
refused to be encouraged,
Take hold of my hand
and walk with me
And let me love you.
Let me teach
you to love.
Let me teach
you to laugh
And be happy,
To forget everything
that has passed.
You are mourning
for what is not
worthy of grief.
Let me teach you
to build on what
you have experienced,
Instead of bending
under the load of it.
© 2017,Emeka Mokeme.

Lake Michigan sand rests within my bones;
it slows the timing of my heart
and scratches the vowels
budding on my wet tongue.

I imagine waiting for you
on a bench of ghosts
with coffee and binoculars,
observing the rush of continuous
flutter as seagulls settle
and then unsettle, as indecisive
as the mottled lake.

The afternoon light is brisk,
pulls my breath like a buoy chain--
     my heart sounds like it's underwater,
     its beats drive the tide
     that draws you, like an undertow, to me.

All is revealed.

Look at my photo.
You see the solitary Adirondack.
So oft writ, it is almost yours,
From which I ply my craft.

Sentinel, overlooking the bay,
Looking for poem invaders,
Need prisoners to do the hard labor,
For I am on duty, elsewhere, peripatetically,
A new tour of duty to family.

See the coffee mug,
The contents, a warm hug,
For though it sumer still,
The sky and breeze beg to differ.

I think time is nigh,
To close this chapter,
A few itinerant thots yet rumbling,
But the rush is gone, like my contented season.

Wise men do not deny perception,
Grown cold, my warm invitation,
Perhaps, I injusticed you with repetition,
But I left you a motet for comfort.


And hints of an address,
In case some enchanted evening....