POEMS READ AT LOUDTHOTZ POETRY OPEN READING SEASON 7 EPISODE 4 "THEM"

Akeem Oyalowo (dark skinned) Winner Poem of the Month

PEOPLE LIKE ME

Will never be like them

I have found my path

Littered with pebbles

Some of us are made from bricks

That life has christened hard

Drank from streams

With unpalatable flavors

We will never be like them

Our dreams were called fantasies

They were written in paper

That was torn in between two worlds

And the truth became that we are being made to live through endless wars

We will never be like them

Those whom we point fingers at

Hearts which do not long for kindness

Heads that had always bowed to science

Minds which seek for cadaver among the living

Hands which will make stories out of your grieving

We will never be like them

We have hands stuck in the mouth

We have teeth lusting for flesh it can sink in

We have rulers gifted to live life without thinking

We can never be like them

We are not less, they are not more

We just hope less and do nothing with our rainfall

We want to be like them

So we poured ink on thumbs

And declared our leaders to no longer wear uniforms

We wanted acceptance

So while seeking aid, we knelt in repentance

We muddied the principal, and got stuck with interest

We condense the future and called the shylocks our friends

Pictures showing that we shook hands does not mean we are mates

When we signed the deals, we sealed tomorrow and enveloped our fates

We can never be like them

We learnt to swing our waists and inherited the disease

Swept off our feet by powder, sacrificed our skins for bleach

We wanted to be like them

So we shaved our eyebrows and used pencils to draw it back

Turned our faces to drawing boards

But are scared to wholly use pens

We want blue eyes and red lips

Long hair and high heels

We want to be like them

So highlife superstars developed an accent

Started singing in tongues where our norms are absent

We want collaborations

We are dissolving right before our own eyes but declined to call it evaporation

We can never be like them

Not when our heroes are calling out their kin to come to the stage

While they in silence watch as you all take a once in a lifetime picture

We sealed today yesterday

We will continue everyday

To repay the tomorrow that we borrowed

We can be like them in our own way

Name the game and chose when to play

Paint the ship and direct where it sails

Call a spade by its name

And till the land all by ourselves without a joint venture

We will be like them, if majority carries the vote

Carrying along a minority, so nobody will sink the boat

We can be like them but not today

We have drunken of a spell and our heads are still stuck in the pail

We are being led from behind

And detest pressing play in preference for rewind

We can be like them

But not tonight

This verse came to the fore in the dark

I am brown, it’s those men from Darfur that are really black

They and the flies buzzing around their lips

Forever in love with war, so peace admits it’s too weak to maintain a grip…

Akeem Adetayo Oyalowo

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

WONDER MATH

Early morning flashlights

They emit rays of hope

For black men in black clothes

With AKs and dark hearts

Before the day births the Sun

They wake

And stand behind logs

Adjoining decrepit Vans

Displaying magic

Wonder Math

The curious case of torchlight

Being greater than multiple head lights

A queue                

A cue

For Rickshaws

And Buses

And their clan of yellow

To dig in from yesterday

And pull out an Awo

Or take up a number and make sure

They pay up and not pull an AWOL on them

The men in black

Wearing darkness in starkness

Polished ticks

Performing tricks

With deft fingers

Politricks

Armed to the tongue

For persuasive words

Loquacious

Ambiguos

Contagious

Lubricious

They draw us in

And sweep us off

With broom in their hands

Then they take their brooms

And our brooms

Now we can’t even sweep their messes

For them

The hemorrhaging

Of lady economy

So we find pads

For her to wear

Yet they steal it

And pad a gentle man

Mr budget

That jaundiced man

Suffering fecal incontinence

Than a sponged bovine

Rejected as part of dowry

By a another gentleman

Some place near Daura.

CHUKWUEMEKA DEUS NJOKU

//////////////////////////////////////////

I PLEDGE

I pledge to a country where youths are future protectors

Hailing and supporting the present situation

Hoping that one day things will be better

Where heroes are the heritage of the present dispensation

I see Nigeria as a country of selfless leaders

Who will take the country to the next level of advancement and achievement? 

The one that will not embezzled the funds

I pledge to a country where resources are relatively abundant

Working and promoting the national integrity

Hoping that one day things will be better

Where government are the elective of the present controversy

I see  ,Nigeria as a country of determined leaders

Who will establish the oil refineries in order to improve the economic sectors?

The one that will not hide the federation account

I pledge to a country where women are nation builders

Giving and caring about the family expansion

Hoping that one day things will be better

Where women are not abused and discriminated in their virginity

I see Nigeria as a country of committed leaders

Who will transform the country to the newest economies of the modern nations?

The one that will not breastfeed others

I pledge to a country where opportunities are readily available

Satisfying and providing jobs to the youths

Hoping that one day things will be better

Where scarcity and stagnation are eliminated

I see Nigeria as a country of effective leaders

Who will sanction directives to various parastatals to curb consuming funds?

The one that will not suffer the masses

I pledge to a country where inflation changes to deflation

Empowering and encouraging the industrial sectors to reduce price

Hoping that one day things will be better

Where wholesalers and retailers split their distributive channels to eliminate

I see Nigeria as a country of change from suffering to shuffling of debts

(Buy the Nigerian dream ,don’t sell your country)

UBONABASI EKPO

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THE CURSE OF EDEN

Their eyes were finally opened
And into the apron shades of leaves
They sought to conceal their nakedness.
Intelligence became their first crime
And their apotheosis the second.
Expulsion became a must
Lest they latch onto immortality.

Out of the garden into untilled lands
A unifying abode they set to build;
A city and a tower clutching the skies.
The collective will of mortals and mortars
Daring the heavens with rude incursions,
Expulsion became a must
Lest they turn the court of divinity into a republic.

Scattered across the face of the earth
Each a god and a creation of himself;
The elevation of man above errors,
Armageddon a pronouncement of sentiments,
Nuclear struggle the pinnacle of might.
Expulsion becomes a must
By mortals bringing an end to themselves.

ADEOYE ADETOBA

//////////////////////////////////////

MY FOREFATHER CALLED THEM COTUMA

In name they are our guards
In deed they should be as confidants
They even call themselves friend.
I call them the classic frenemies

They take up space everywhere
Most fatter than the elephant
emblem on their foreheads.
Traits they picked up
From their filthy founding fathers.
My forefather called them Cotuma,
Now they call themselves my friend
No, they're the classic frenemies

Like wild cats
They walk away from you everytime
Leaving behind only their dirty,
petty, dark-heartedness.
Always in their trails
are agonies and stolen joy,
their unpleasant presence
like an uncomfortable
tatoo from teenagehood carried
helplessly into old age.

They make no friends
Even amongst their sisters
Everyone is a prime offender
Except the top spender.
Outcasts honoured with
This mamoth authority they wield
Like non-chokers causing
commotions, injuries and deaths.
And they call themselves friend
I call them the classic frenemies.

Abuse them
Cajole them
The more they exhibit hate ecstasy
No show of concern
But for the notes they craved
Yet they call themselves your friend
No, they're the classic frenemies.

Chris ' N' John

///////////////////////////////

PACKAGE IT!

On a ship to be sold at the super bowl

why? Its thickness makes you growl

Yes, come off your pride and howl

About how sweetly our colors mix on an owl.

Measure it!

The length of your dread

for my hair locks in dread

I knew not yours was birthed red

so in its envy at the salon was mine bled

Clearly forgetting what I read

about life not being a rosebed

until your colored potions left my hair dead.

KUNLE AJAYI

/////////////////////////////////////////

THEM DAYS SHALL SOON BE OVER

Dis na for them
All Dis kpomo men
Wey donate their pikin future for tachere currency
Dis poem dey reach una from my frequency.

Yeye politrickcians
Election time una go form magicians
Buy we Mama conscience with oils for gallons
Our popsy dem with cheap brukutu for foreign cartons
We sisters with Dubia shopping plus karrets of diamonds
Dash we brodas guns turn dem to warlords

Uncle B this your change get K leg o
E be like say na suffer seed we sow for that ballot o
Abi na African China write your manifesto??
Food nor dey
Water nor dey
What about we NEPA pipo we nor get light.

Now the day is over
Night is drawing nigh
Fuel queue all the evening
Mass cursing across the evening Sky
For me my fuel tank is empty
All I can do is sigh
The black market I can't even buy
Why?
Because my wage is yet to be paid

Now the darkness gathers,
Generators begin to Weep,
Heat and mosquitoes and tears
Soon will be in full swing.

Comfort every sufferer
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain.

Through the long night-watches
May Thine angels come
Their white wings above me,
Fan me till I am dry
This heat is a thing of legend

When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise
Pure and fresh and rashless
In dusting powder pain I shall not bask.

Glory to the Uncle B
Glory to the Oshi Vp,
And to Thee, blest former ruler of the rivers,
While all ages run
May the speed of "them" own be doubled
For of what use is change if it leaves my pocket empty
With no damn change

HITCH UGOCHUKWU

/////////////////////////////////////////

YOU KNOW THEM

If I dare to show them my thoughts
The world would surely retort
If I dare tell them what is on my mind
The world would say I'm not being kind
If I dare do to them what I feel
The world would surely appeal
And so I ask
Who else wants this task?
let it not be recorded in history
That the blind couldn't see
That the lame couldn't walk
And the dumb couldn't talk
The world clamors for peace
Yet no one trusts the police
We all keep silent
So the perpetrators are unrepentant
Indifferent
Somewhat arrogant
Insolent
Can't they hear the cries of the innocent
Can't anyone mete out judgment
Justice has become impotent
There's growing resentment
But no complaint
No living Saints
I wish I could tell them what's on my mind
But mankind
Isn't ready
Not with this present psyche
One day they'll see
Real authority
Real activity
Unity
Till then
Let them count their tens
And play in their dens
We are watching them with our pens
Even on weekends
Clucking hens

ERHIO

//////////////////////////

THEY ALWAYS KNEW HER

It was as though they could perceive her

Sniff her out in a crowd no matter how mammoth

Of course she never failed to see them

Yet it was ever puzzling

That they could identify her

She was one of the few left

KEMIBON

///////////////////////////////////

Bottom of Form

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

THEM

Ronsons adventures with terrorists

Engagements with conspiracy theorist

Them- the other; the others that rule the world

The controlling powers behind the headlines

The men of shadows in the shadows of Platos cave

Except that by all accounts there relationships are not platonic

Them or they, with us and with their cohort

Them- if Icke is to be believed they are in control

The rise and fall of Nations and Governments

I thought that was God

Who puts one up and another down

In whose hands are the hearts of Kings anfd Princes

Evidently I thought wrong

Them; they; the other

Fully in control

Determining Presidencies; overthrowing Governments

Fixing rates of interest

There I was thinking it was the People or the Military

The Central Banks of the various Nations

Not Reptillian Avatars from old Europe

Them- always the other

My brother, my sister, even my mother

Standing in the need of prayer

It was the woman you gave me

It was the serpent

It was the people, the gold, the fire

Then this calf polished for worship showed up

It was the iron that burned the clothes

It was Jonathan and the Jonathanians

Never me; always Them

Forgetting in the fix the first rule of fixing

Fix the problem, not the blame

If it is to be it is up to you and not down to Them

Or as Stephen said be responsible!

ANDREW WHYTE

/////////////////////////////////

THEM

Their stories, True stories,

Segregating them

One of them;

A She,

Wrote out a letter

With them standing

Over her shoulder

The letter to a He

She wrote;

“I am sorry yet,

Who am I to ask for forgiveness?

And who are you to grant it?

Yours”

She paused,

“lovingly, Cynthia.”

The letter was complete,

She told them,

Who eyed the light

Yet fragile piece

Of modern papyrus

sorrowful, love

emoticons

running over the page.

The mirror in her room

Which had seen

their caresses,

their kisses,

their hugs and wishes,

Also witnessed the end

of her freedom,

Freedom from pressure,

Pressure built by them,

They who are her parents

Parents who had flaws.

Flaws refusing to be strengths,

Flaws that negate good people,

Flaws that should bind,

But never did.

She put it in the mail.

She had just waited,

To pick up the pieces,

And sweep out,

What was left

Of the love

That could not be,

“Her status was too high,

She is way over his league”,

She convinced herself.

The next thing

 she took out

was the mirror

She was over,

And they made it happen.

ABIOLA BONUOLA

////////////////////////////////////

THE SON OF OROKU

It was at the time of the third moon that it happened

The son of Oroku who was only a man dominated

Humans and spirits as if he was a god

The one who drank up the former Nile came to

Drink Iyiala the birthright of Oroku

The son of Oroku stood on that mount that was never named and

Shouted at the one who drank up the former Nile.

The forests shook in fear, humans quivered

Spirits ran in fear, only the son of Oroku stood

On that day on that mount that was never named

And decided to wrestle the one who drank up the former Nile.

There arose at that time the Others

Who were appalled at the existence of the son of Oroku

They stood in defiance to his courage

Without knowing they are only digging their graves.

Heeeeeeeee! Who will save the sons of Others

Who will sell sense to them that fight?

Who will nail their selfishness to the cross of their ignorance?

Who will tell them that it will be their annihilation?

Let them know that the cock no longer crows thrice

Let them know that the morning breath can never compete with the noon breathe

Let them know that the son of Oroku fears nothing

He is only fulfilling the predestinated laws of Ala.

CHISOM

/////////

ME AND THEM

I wonder the road of inner discovery

Making detours and losing focus at times

Every now and then wondering if I’m making progress

Mastering the act of self control was difficult

Yesterday’s experiences to colour today’s decisions

So I win some and lose some

Eagerly scrutinizing and sometimes judging

Life my hope, my dream and all

For living without them will not be living

All I have is within

Not what you see

Do not judge me for you do not know me

To you my neighbours

Having leaved with you from times gone by

Experiences have thought me not to judge you if I can help it

My fellow travelers

IFEANYI OKWOSHA

//////////////////////////////////////

THEM

Gone like the passing wind

And the settling dust

Above the frolicking time

Of great memories

Of illuminating lights

Beyond the eyes of the Atupa.

Names we shall

Leave upon the threshold

Of once upon a time

When being human wasn’t a crime

And beyond their eyes a nation unfolds.

It is different now

For the dead shouldn’t

Ask the living “How?”

How his house ended

In the hands of his enemies,

And his wives in the hands of his friends?

It is different now

Like sons have grown

To ignore the genesis of their existence.

Let the dead question,

Why is place of rest-

Now has a brothel as its roof?

Let him question why his six-feet

Mansion now serves as the lavatory of the Kalokalo house

And not what has become of Princes

Who sold their birth rights for Naira notes.

We speak a language now

A language we pride out

Of the stranger we are fast becoming.

We speak in a tongue

Of which every right means wrong.

We still recall those days

Which we never saw with our eyes

Moments you lived when right was right

And greed wasn’t a creed.

Those you left us in their hands

We saw nothing wrong in following them.

MUYIDEEN AYINLA

///////////////////////////

THE LAST MAN BOOKER

If they ask you, tell them…

If they ask you

the Finkler question

just as you walk down Wolf hall,

tell them;

tell them it’s the year of the gathering,

and we must return from sea

to get our own inheritance of loss.

Tell them we live a life of pi

and only hope

on the gods of small things

to give the last orders.

If they say  

the depths of our minds

are way too shallow,

stressing the need  

for precise axioms and definitions

to capture the ghost of departed quantities,

 then tell them; 

tell them we solve the differential of our existence  

by counting small stones,  

and need not their almighty formula 

to solve the equation of our utter confusion. 

Tell them we can fix our stochastic systems,  

and can find the roots of our own identity.

If they say

we must go offshore

sailing on Schindler’s ark;

tell them;

tell them we are staying on

though we’ve heard of the siege of Krishnapur.

Say we know there is a rate of change

and can tell the circle is bound in continuity.

Tell them that amid life’s heat and dust,

we have learnt to play the conservationist.

And if they ask

why all the patriotism?

then tell them;

tell them

for too long we have plied the ghost road

where the phantom of Paddy Clarke silently screams.

Tell them we’ve been caressed daily by hunger

on this famished road plied by old devils and bone people;

savoring the remains of the day.

Yes tell them,

tell them we are satisfied with dearth and death

in our possession;

for we are midnight’s children,

observing the rites of passage.

Oh tell them,

tell them we are poised

to cover the erotic distance between dreams and reality

when speed and time share a sweet romance.

Oh tell them,

tell them we are natives of trouble

just seeking a good name for bad sleep.

NATHANIEL SOONEST

//////////////////////////

TELL THEM
And when you
Get back to earth
Tomorrow,
Let them
Know that a woman
Killed him.
Tell them
'I drowned in the
Pool of her love',
Where I went
For a swim.
Tell them
'I was trapped
In her web and
Served for her
As kerb.
O! tell them
To hush their cries
And wipe-dry
The spring of their eyes,
That I died in bliss
And smiles.
Tell them
I've gone to paradise,
And that right now
I tread
Upon Eden's aisles.
Tell them
I fell in the battle
At the valley of her laps,
Trapped
In the alley of the
Claps of her thighs.
Please tell them,
'I'm doing fine'
Make them know
That this choice
Was all mine,
That I decided on
This ecstaciously
Dangerous
Journey to cloud
Nine.
Tell them
That if I ever
Return,
It will still be
At her bossom
That I'll find my death,
And frankly;
I have no regret.

INCREASE NATHANIEL

///////////////////////////////

THEM
Them,

na objects and subjects.

people, men and women

of different tribe and types,

ethni-relics and sophists,

sets and continents.

Them!

na the many, many dreams

and correct thins wey I reason that year.

Say I arrange Mercedes Benz before I nak thirty years.

Say me, my woman and pikin them they flex.

But na dissapointment and vex.

Vex! Sake of say

all na inside my head and on top my bed

na him man fit get all them things wey him count as best.

Them!

Is when Ignoble men set themselves with themselves,

To select for themselves, from themselves, by themselves,

that which the malady of the flesh suggests to them as best

for the uninteresting interest of the voiceless rest..

When! Men and women of integrity's wantonness ,

who lucid at polls did cast their votes for tempo's

lavish fete in expense of tomorrow's generations' blessedness..

Then point their fingers in guise of forgetfulness

and part parched lips only to add to lamentations lament,

and cry yet again......our leaders them!

Them!

Is when in my country,

democracy

beaten and left helpless

is impelled to sit on its head.

Where political theories only exists in texts,

cause incomprehensible manifests defile its test

and ideas are forced to live and die on ceremonial desks.

When the wise trek endless treks

and the unwise are chauffeured

on luxuriant cars.

And non entities lord

over globally eulogized sophist and academics.

I leave you

with all of my thoughts.

All of them!!

Fabian C. Ugbechie