"orunmila" poems
The creator of the universe
Our whole existence
Our tradition and way of life
The beginning and the end
The divination and religion
Of our people
Odu Ifa our literary corpus
The grand priest of Ifa
The mantle of Olodumare
The builder of the Ifa Oracle
Ile-Ife your city of abode
Orunmila,
Orirun ile Yoruba
The master of Aseda and Akoda
The Aalafin of Yoruba land
The Ooni of the Yoruba mantle
Our spiritual system of existence
Orunmila,
The supreme being
The Orisa of all orisas
Esu bows at your feet
Obatala trembles at your voice
Ogun makes an obeisance at your sight
Osun lays down at your coming
Yemonja proclaims your might
The divination of Ifa
The prophecy of the Yoruba heritage
The founder of earthly beings
The Ese Ifa
Orunmila
The principal Odu
Written by Tosan Oluwakemi Thompson
Mar 18, 2020
Mar 18, 2020 at 12:26 PM UTC
Your Excellency
I salute thee
Oh! King
King of Gbomulero
Oh! King
I salute your mighty sword
Oh! King
Kabiyesi o!
Kabiyesi o!
I lift up my mouth
To praise your mighty-ness
Oh! King
Kabiyesi o!
Your Lordship
That no dares to question
No one dares
To look into your eyes
Oh! King
Kabiyesi o!
The fighter of the spirits
The king of the witches
The night crawler
That wrestled the spirits in the dark
The only addressee of the jury
The judge and the jury
The Alápatà of Gbomulero
Oh! King
Kabiyesi o!
The end and eternity
Of Gbomulero's existence
The mantle of Orunmila
The Royal Highness
Of the gods
Oh! King
Kabiyesi o!
Ki ade pelori
Ki bata na tu pele
Mar 18, 2020
Mar 18, 2020 at 12:14 PM UTC
Esu Lanlu
Esu Elegbara
Esu Odara
Esu, the scared child of heaven
Esu, a reviled, respected,
Yet misunderstood being.
Esu, all creations dance to your best of life
Esu Dagunro
Esu Lukuluku
Esu Apagbe
Esu, the quickest and fastest one
Esu, confuser of many
Esu, the disruptor of order
Esu, the iconic one
Esu, the master of linguistics
Esu, the conciliatory peacemaker
Esu, the divine alchemist
Esu, the trickster
Esu, the pusher of those,
Who doesn't carry Olodumare's wishes.
Esu, the inseparable friend of Orunmila
Esu,
Papa Legba
Legba Atibon
Kalfou
Papa La Bas
Esu, divine messenger of transformation
Esu, ebora to luti la nbo
Esu, Okunrin ori ita
Esu, a quick responder when consulted
Esu, divine messenger of the gods
Esu Odara, the divine one of Ose Otura
Esu, carrier of the ase of sensuality and fertility
Esu Lanlu, king of dance
Esu, keeper and imparter of ase
Esu, the fundamental Orisa
Esu, the manifest of greatness
Esu, the one who is as hard as Rock
Esu Akeregbaye
Esu, the shedder of blood who knows no one's tears
Esu, the controller of earth
Esu, the special middle man between heaven and Earth
Esu, the anointed rope to success and wealth
Esu Lanlu
Esu Elegbara
Esu Odara
Written by Tosan Oluwakemi Thompson
Jul 6, 2020
Jul 6, 2020 at 8:18 AM UTC
Dearest mother.
When you were young
And your mother sang to you, lullaby songs
You knew there was nothing to fear
For you had all your mother's care
You suckled on her succulent breast
And laid your bare head on her evermore protective chest
She'd pat your back and start to sing
As her melodious voice, lures you to sleep
She prays to osun to keep you safe
And begs orunmila to try to save,
You from any trouble you see in your dreams,
& help you every day, whichever way it seems
And as you grow
Little do you know
All your mother has been through
All just because of you.
May 17, 2016
May 17, 2016 at 1:03 PM UTC
By his Majesty's foot stool
Tales never been told
A warrior's analogy
Imaging the blood of many
The battle of old
Modakeke it's passage
Crowning victory a renegade
Scars untold
Proportionate to the heartbeat of Ile-Ife
Setting Ooni's mantle
Bowing to Orunmila
Scavangers setting the pace
Awarding criminals the holy Cross
Anointing them for the book of life
Desertion of no return
They called it a treatise
Holding onto dissertation of old
Blood a signal of peace
Reminding hearts of tales unforgettable
Written by Tosan Oluwakemi Thompson
Nov 3, 2020
Nov 3, 2020 at 4:38 AM UTC