Saintly cassock,
Glittering altar
Ornamental pulpit.
           
 

Driving the congregants
            in a paroxysm of fib,
Gullibility enshrines adherents
            hearts.
Do you know the Messiah more
            than the apostles ?
Thou traders in the temple.

Parrotic tongues set out
            commands
Loquacious sweet-coated mouths
            misdirects faithfuls.
But the uncreated Creator who
            creates creatures watches
Dreadful silence astonishingly
            permeates the entireness
           of the universe.
Do you preach love?
Do you follow peace with all?
Ye robbers in the temple.

Command darkness to produce
            light.
But you turned moonlight into
            tale.
Can you display Davidic dance
            steps on the road?
Profanity of sanctuary with
            false homiletics.
Merchants of dross in tabernacle

Speak.
Let us hear you.
Preach
To the congregants.

Righteousness afar from the
          apron of faith.
Charity locked up in the
          tunic of hope.
Sanctity of holiness sprinkled
          into the tributary of sin.
Commanding the stars to turn
           to sun,
Captains of night in light.
Ye robbers in the sanctuary.

Pastoral advertisers of chattels
           in the tabernacle,
Merchandising gold dross in
            sermonic hymns.
Sugar-coated doctrine wept in
             the tomb of Lazarus.
Prompting Him to weep again?
Ye merchants in synagogue.

Disentangle faithfuls from the
          webs of worriment.
Dislodge congregants out of the
          shackles of sin.
Deliver ignoramus from the
           isle of incendiary.
Let the sifter of strength
           separate out afflictions from
           feebleminded faithfuls.

Ye robbers in the temple
You love prayers more than God
But who answers prayers?

The price l paid
Ozzed out hope in me.
This price l paid
Bailed me out of the pangs of woes.


Toiling days and nights
Drilling rocks like woodpeckers.
They hoped against hope
But l hoped not for nothingness.
Sweat dripping from the pores of laborious tasks.
Marching on droplet by droplet like Trojans of old.

Now the price l paid
Sprouted goodness in me.
Embraced supplications granted peace.
Traversed paths led to success.
Peregrinated road turned wailing to hosanna chants.
The sea l navigated draped me with toga of glory.
This price l paid

I heard your voice
Echoed sonorous voice pierces ears
Engrossing underneath babel of voices.
But this gurgling sounds l understand not.
Call me father.

I heard your rumbling,
Of a thunderous grumbling.
Velvety voice arrests attention.
Disturbing ranting of disturbers
Saying sounds strange
to hearing.
Now call me father.

Babylonian wall of distance ,
Spottering sentinels standing.
Seven seas,
seven streams.
Multiple ravines,
multiple ranges.
One terminus,
Gamut of posts.

Stretch forth your tender hands,
Reach out to me.
Similitude of aura
Similar light complexion
Bonding bloodline
Sameness in character.

Now l comprehended your voice
Distinct language
Encore my name
Call me father again
Mention my cognomen.

Flapping flattering fingers
Of restless waves,
Trilling
Rolling
Curling.
Waves upon waves cascading
Watching from your cross line
Why struggling for a mark?
Of Olympian of Balkan peninsula

Labouring for a price?
Struggling for honour?
Of pro bono competition.
Restless
Hastening
Unabated.

Are you ocean?
Are you Leviathan?
Ye gods of water,
Still your ambition

I experienced experience
I witnessed experience

Swarming like wild bees
Swimming from the brooks
Of outer Marina
Racing into the fountain
Of Islet of Lagos.
Our Lagos,
Their Lagos.
Diverse religionists
On spiritual missions,
Raising up hands in supplications
For open heaven,
For praise and worship.
Some on mundane missions.
Spivs, urchins alike

But this congestion suffocated
Spaces wept for control
Sea breezes searched for outlets
From outer Marina

And wants of oxygen waves
Hands for recognition.
Both faithfuls, penitents , miscreants needed air for survival.
Protestations appealed for audience.
Legs spent and tired ,
Craving for rhapsodic attention

Where are more seats?
Where are more spaces?

Helpless ushers uncaring.

But from the stage roars
Songs of inspirations ,
Songs of supplications
Like war cries.
Sounds from desk to dawning,
Music from dawn into deskiness.
And seat glued me till cockcrow

Night broke into day.
Fading music expelled adherents
Out of arena.
A loud silence now reigned.

Freedom from the fangs of stampede.
I experienced experience
I witnessed experience

The aura of darkness
Ooze out the rainbow
Of uncertainty
The rainbow of darkness
Spitting cloudy dews
Daylight speak to us
Daylight announce
Your appearance
Shall we tarry awhile?
Shall we long for
Day spring for illumination?
Withdraw the unseen
Mantra of fear
Replace the unfriendly
Mantle of discord
This stronghold
Shall be pulled down
Day spring speak to us
Dayspring announce
Your appearance
Enlighten us
Let there be light
From the tunnel
Of righteousness
Light be