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Footprints in harmattan winds
Trees, yawning in drought Forced to repent their decision to remain rooted instead of fleeing Their once wet barks Branded with scars from sharp gun rays As they stare down At footprints of families gone farming Fading in harmattan winds
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staring straight at a new dawn
Was growing up into a great donkey A sweet donkey everyone sat on And decided which direction it should go Walking miles in heat and discomfort Swallowing my complaints, careful to not spit them on gold diggers Didn’t even know I’ve got places of my own to go Finally found my path rather late Finally…
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Time passes by
Was watching an old movie A song of the good old days was playing Slowly, softly, in a bar As everyone danced their hearts out Most of the actors and actresses are dead The rest very very old Wondering if they could see today when they shall be no more Would they have danced more…
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Tips for runners
You will rise one day. And when you do, people will envy you. They won’t remember your sleepless nights, days of starvation, days you’ve been broke. All they will see, will be the comfort that seemed to have come to you so easily and how disadvantaged they are, to just sit and stare. Not all…
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Machine hearts
“I want to be a soldier!” It’s been his song since childhood Inspired by Batman And the other guy who gums and ‘degums’ himself from buildings to save a girl in danger Little did he know that soldiers wear uniforms Much larger than the passion to defend the defenseless It’s only from high up here…
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Talent Management
I know a rapper who was so talented that I couldn’t believe there will be any point in his music career where his popularity would wane. Unfortunately, he’s begun falling gradually and I was so sad to see it. To me, the problem is mentorship. When artists get to that point where they are managers…
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No Limit
Sometimes getting some things done is like getting unto a moving bus. The longer you wait, the more speed the bus picks up. And there are certain buses once you miss, you might as well give up on wherever you think you are going. What sometimes keeps you from implementing very good ideas you come…
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Surrender
The sermon hooked her and squeezed tears from her backslidden soul Her hard heart became a punching bag for the preacher’s punch lines Many times she’s come to this point On her knees Where she’s laid it all down She hopes That this time she’s come back It will be the end Of borrowing without…
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You are going somewhere
Tomorrow has brighter opportunities for you than today has, but tomorrow is less forgiving of your mistakes than today is. With time, you meet better and more influential friends. Certain selling out you did in your past, some nasty words that occasionally slip from your mouth in anger, learn your lessons and bury here, today,…
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Sometime in July
I remember the first day your luggage was brought in You were newly married to a man you’ve never met A strange man who had a room in his house he forbade you from entering And who never saw your nakedness I was your servant Curiosity and loneliness recommended me to you I remember that…
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They sing their wisdom
Have you heard a song full of silly ideas sung with so much passion? “Incredible!” You said to yourself. Don’t be shocked, my friend. The musicians sing their wisdom. And wisdom is like money in one’s pocket. If you don’t have enough, you can’t display much. You may work and earn more but presently, you…
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Recycled Clown
Mistakes are like unplanned pregnancies. The womb does not discriminate which child to contain and which one to reject on the basis that it was by accident. The womb gives equal care to all because whether by accident or by choice, every unborn child has the potential to grow into a full human, without any…
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Buying extra time
Nobody ever gets there overnight Taken lots of fast lanes that led to nowhere Back home and now in bed Sipping coffee and reading stories of other travellers So many detours, so many dead ends And so many dead along the way trying to get there As I put the pieces together I see where…
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What interpretations do you assign to your problems?
Our interpretations of our problems, life experiences and circumstances in which we find ourselves are prophetic. Do you assume you are under a curse or paying for past sins when you are going through difficulties? Think positive. Say positive things about yourself. Speak positive things into your circumstances. Prophesy great things over your life. You…
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Two naked hands clasp a third
Many hands have clasped mine in theirs Like tenants of a room they have come and gone Taking with them my eagerness to forgive and let go And my faith to be healed again You have brought it all back in one clasp I have read the unspoken message in your warmth And you can…
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Forever
A doorway into afterlife An ugly exit Where everyone has gone with the wind No man’s land where every man lands A door with a post only those inside can read So much talk about this place At last, this is how it looks Not impressed Response to Sadje’s picture prompt on What do you see #144 July…
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Are you complicated?
There are many people who will easily fall in love with your personality. To them, it’s hard to believe such a sweet person like you exist. You probably grew up or work with people who remind you constantly of your imperfections and you’ve formed the opinion that it’s hard to find someone who truly understands…
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this life
Life is a riddleYou give the impression you’ve solved it when you are dead Life is a questionYou must act like you’ve got the answer. Life is a journey to nowhereYet you look odd when you live like you are going nowhere Life is a performanceTo put on the best showYou must try not to…
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She isn’t listening
In his heart lived stories he’s told no one Stories he’s lived and stories he’s seen He put these big stories into a small book And on this cold winter morning In this small coffee shop by the roadside Overlooking a couple of people waiting for a bus He opens his little book to tell…
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The introvert
From roaming from one church to another I met you Was looking for a perfect church You were always seated somewhere in the middle there Hardly greeting anyone after service You only looked at me And I returned your look No one said anything to the other Until the day pastor organized a seminar for…
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Difficult Times
Hunger echoes the sun’s rays in my ears My stomach grumbles It’s the sign That I am near the end The finish line where I get knocked out I tighten my grip on the loaf of bread Wrapped around my shoes in my sack As the sun brightens with more heat It becomes clear That…
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Risks run the city
Take more risks. It is the gateway to growth and expansion.You may tailor it to the size of your faith and rename it as calculated risks, but take it anyway. What is a life without much to look back on and laugh? What is a personality without occasionally throwing neatness and decency out the window…
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Born for the rough roads
I was born for the rough roads To roam them And to rule there I was destined to go places Even hell, cracked and cooked I was built to master The roads of rules and conventions To their dead ends And create new paths into the future I was born to win That’s why I…
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I know a place
There are places a person goes And you just know They were driven by more Than just a head and imagination You know These are places you only get to Standing on great books That draw much more from your soul Than you ever thought you had Places you only reach Bypassing barricades of meanings…
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Beautiful just the way you are
The fair fine ladies of America Camping in hip-hop stars’ swimming pools in bikini They have imported without transporting The magic of bleaching creams Fatima, Abena and Ifeoma Transformed into Beyoncé, Micky Minaj and Cardi B respectively In just two months and two minutes Black is beautiful They only see when cancer writes it on…
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Odessa – Chapter 3: Fire on the mountain
As the setting sun faded in the sky, it dissolved its yellowish colour and sprayed it into the faces of the arrogant mountains that stood up to it. On a small, wooden, black and white tv, the president addressed the nation. The president wasn’t angry. He only struggled to keep his voice down when he…
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Radio Me
Tune in to your true self The version of you unafraid To be criticized Just do your job Of living your life And let your critics do their job Of criticizing you You have no time You only live once So get busy Being you You’ll feel lonely sometimes You’ll fight the urge to return…
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There will be days
There will be days everyone will be against you Including someone you love deeply and who loves you too so dearly It isn’t that they seek your downfall Perhaps they do not understand you Or a decision you have taken The only faithful dog keeping you company In your journey when everyone leaves Will be…
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The 143 code
Gagged feelings Tied to whispers Soft moonlight peeps Through a window of the night At the beauty of silence The beauty in coloured voices
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Wealth is a mindset
Wealth is a mindset. It has absolutely nothing to do with assets or the amount of money in your pocket. Think of whatever you have ever acquired as your marbles on a checkerboard. If you are not smart enough, you will lose it all to your opponent. That opponent can be the tendency to compare…
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We came to play
Left the lecturer alone in his lecture hall to socialize with an empty class, noun clauses, phonetic symbols, and bogus theories he’s fabricated to hide his insanity Traded the picture of God sold by the priest for the Living One wearing an apron and guiding the cook, holding the rudder and guiding the captain Experiencing…
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Odessa -Chapter 2: Foreigner
The motorbike slipped and nearly spat him into the mud. He succeeded in escaping an embarrassing fall, smiling and scanning around to see if anyone noticed. His eyes met those of no one. He hoped to find an observer with whom to laugh at his awkwardness. Now, he found none and was only smiling to…
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Crossroad of life and death
The true pleasures of life They live in abundance On the edge of life Where you can easily cross into death Don’t you see Why orgasm is called ‘la petite mort”? Why working out can sometimes make you feel like you’re dying Yet longevity and good health drips from such habits The higher you climb…
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Concentrated milk
He forgot He was in a hurry His last can of concentrated milk He hopes will last him an eternity and a few days + He forgot to properly cover it Forgot to close the window Forgot to turn off the light in the kitchen But the little ants They don’t forget They never forget…
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I love the rain
Rain Drumming against our rooftops And windows Inviting us to come outside And see Shadows of the sleeping sun And nature Taking her bath While her children snore And the sky, distributing raindrops The wind, rustling and moving every tree To ensure no piece of earth Goes to sleep thirsty Whiles abundance rain Whiles abundance…
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Fabricator
Designed for fireworks The wiring in your brain Each time in crises You scratch your head in desperation And an idea lights up You may admire the brilliance But don’t forget to look up And salute the Engineer
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The sun travels west
The sun travels west Shadows of darkness flocking him to see Where he’s headed Stretching his long legs over continents He journeys over distant lands Not seeming to know what he seeks
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Odessa – Chapter 1 : Cold war ( Continuation )
A new fetish priest was in town. As his way of announcing himself, he built his shrine on a controversial piece of land, a site along the beach on which the president sent soldiers to supervise the demolition of illegal structures, to pave way for the expansion of a road network linking China Town and…
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Odessa – Chapter 1: Cold war
The prophet was arriving soon. The living room was already full of family members. And friends. A few church members were standing outside. And Djhaké had gone to get some extra chairs. Dabali was in the corridor, peering through a cut in the window at the guests in the living room. He had no gift…
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The Widow of no.9 Street Closing Chapter 7: The beginning of the End
Sugar was what she made for a living but sweetness was missing from her life. From the day she discovered he cheated on her, it was finished. Her love for him. Her respect. Her hopes of a sweet marriage. She was a sex expert and he, she thought, knew little about sex positions and a…
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I saw a movie
Yesterday, we went to see a movie Returning home, I marvelled at the creativity of the director and crew I realized the movie was great because Each one of us saw ourselves in that movie Nobody spoke about the movie as we walked home We all had a secret, personal relationship with the story That…
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The Widow of no.9 Street Chapter 6: Dilemma
One day, Brenda was broke. She told me on the phone. It was a weekend. “Where are all her callers?” I asked myself. Her phone never stopped ringing. New numbers. New male voices. One of her callers’ name was saved “Love”. If her phone rang late night, you could guess it was ” Love” and…
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The Widow of no.9 Street Chapter 5: Lunch break
There comes a time you learn to just watch people and not react to many things. You just keep doing you. There are roads to be travelled and mountains to be crossed and plenty of obstacles to be bypassed and ignored. Seated in my office a few minutes to lunch break, my eyes were fixed…
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The Widow of no.9 Street Chapter 4 : Allegations and Alligators
She read me like a book and could tell when I was broke and dejected or when something personal bothered me. “You don’t look Ok. What’s the matter?” She would ask. “Nothing.” I replied. When she guessed it had something to do with money, she slipped a note into my hand when no one was…
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The Widow of no.9 Street Chapter 3: Wrong move
My office was a one-storey wooden structure overlooking Mrs. Stella’s sugar plantation. Mrs. Stella was confident that I had no interest in the new girl. And so, she allowed the new girl bring me coffee in the morning and she didn’t complain whenever the new girl spent her late afternoons in my office when she…
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Accidental thoughts – 8
Father in heaven For every smile we put on a face We discovered your face Smiling at our faith In our brother’s fate
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A bullet
Envy, hardened into a bullet, silenced the voice you and I heard so often on the radio. It was nobody’s business that he grew up an orphan in a ghetto, wondering what it meant to have a father and a mother. It never mattered to anyone the struggles that punctuated his rise to fame. Now…
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Bees and Cheese – 1
Tell Aziz that Tel Aviv has been ceased by fleas minting fees out of Jews with ease.
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Accidental thoughts – 7
How shall we honor a master? By decorating him with a badge The badge of a sack of mistakes Mistakes he’s made And now learnt to avoid And in avoiding each previous mistake Traced his path to mastery
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Learn to disappoint people
Promise nothing. Someone wants to know if you can make time to teach them English. Say NO. You don’t have time. Another wants to know if you could visit their church on Sunday. NO. You will be at your own church on Sunday. And there’s one old man who gives you a number to contact.…
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The Widow of No.9 Street Chapter 2 : Offside Traps
July 3, 9am. A cool Monday morning preceded by a few drizzles. A truck arrives at Mrs. Stella’s house to offload goods ordered two months ago. Usually, Mrs. Stella would yell at a worker mal-handling her goods whenever she noticed one. But ever since she admitted she was in love with me, I noticed she’s…
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Accidental Thoughts – 6
It is where trust comes from A long journey So when you see a fine woman Remember, she was not always that fine Someone took her Raw, full of defects And saw beauty Where everyone saw flaws So you too Be mature And stay And work on your woman Stay together through thick and thin…
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Pay attention
Pay attention to how you react to stress. One time my problems were so overwhelming, I cut my sim card into two and threw it away. For weeks, I was out of reach. The brief period of shutting myself from the rest of the world helped me heal emotionally very quickly. All the connections to…
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The Widow of No.9 Street Chapter 1 : Close Encounter
There was silence after she spoke. I noticed her eyes were fixed on the table before her and she would not lift them to look at me. Her breathing was slow and hard, beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She waited for my reply. I was blank. What should I say? My mind replayed…
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Dues to pay
A thin thread Threatening to break Flames of hope, flickering To soon burn out Gasping for breath On the verge of breaking apart Give up The best motivational quote I ever heard But someone Still believes That I will make it Damn! And she’s not alone I’ve got something to prove to haters too An…
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Cultivate your appetites
Whatever you hunger for, be it sex, success or food, learn to satisfy these appetites in little doses in such a way that they are never satisfied completely at any time. It is a strategic way of cultivating those appetites. By so doing, the appetite grows. It is a way of mastering addiction. However, this…
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18XX – Part 9 ( Final Chapter)
It is hard to believe Sharon is dead. If her rose flowers haven’t wilted yet, and continue to get mysteriously watered at night, she’s sending a message to someone. And the more I think about the narratives circulating her disappearance, the more mysterious I find that former classmate of ours. The last time I saw…
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18XX – Part 8
I am strolling through the walls of my former school, Martin Fisher Memorial. It’s been eight years now since I left. The school compound looks deserted and old and the classrooms and assembly grounds that used to look very big in my eyes now look very small. I am witnessing a distant present that seems…
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Road signs to be ignored
Whenever you begin something new, if the start looks promising, there will be lots of people to comment and encourage you. There is usually the tendency to tailor what you’ve started to the likes of your new followers. You are careful not to ‘fall out of grace’ with them. Road signs. Ignore. Move on. Stick…
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Roots
It was a world of nature and magic. Tough times baked people into tough heroes. And the difficulties of survival enriched tales told from one generation to the other, deepening the grip of their songs on the heart. My mind was thirsty for stories when I was a child and I would pester the adults…
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Audacity and Legacies
They will say you are unrealistic. They will say you are young and one of these days, hunger will wake you up to the hash realities of life and you will soon forget your hallucinations of ‘big dreams’. They will associate pride with your ambitious spirit. Let them. Dogs are barking. Throw no stone. Continue…
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The choir of hell
I was listening to a beautiful choral performance and I imagined how powerful a mass angelic choir would sound. Then I began to wonder if there was a choir in hell and how it looked like and what kind of songs they sang. My silly mind imagined the choristers would all be dressed in black…
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Accidental Thoughts – 5
Fine children rotting from negligence Irresponsible parenting So much foolishness Bubbling and running over From the fertile minds of children No father to whip down the madness No mother to slap that little fool Into a sensible being What is all this ‘no flogging a child’ I hear? And for every rod of correction Thrown…
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Accidental Thoughts – 4
Anga Foolie It’s the name we called someone That had lost a tooth Seeing the dents in the shield of teeth Was fun for us Until you were a victim Then you realized it wasn’t funny But this was just a strand of incidents In our basket of childhood memories When you become an adult,…
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Accidental Thoughts – 3
Even though I walk Through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil For Thine art with me Thy rod and staff They comfort me
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Accidental Thoughts – 2
Today I stepped out Came back empty handed I will go again tomorrow Mending broken hopes this evening So I can sail again early morrow morning Whatever the outcome I’m never giving in
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I like me
Tune your identity To the new definition of crazy: Be you You’ve tried for too long To be what you are not Prune away stress Be you The wisest doesn’t know it all Your true worth and destiny Lies in no man’s advice You only discover you By being you Sometimes, Conquering the world Winning…
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That song speaks to me
It was a cold, wet, Saturday evening I had gone to campus to study all day And was now headed home Tired and hungry As I exited the university campus I heard an old English song Playing softly on a radio Hanging in a security post I could not understand What the sad old white…
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18XX – Part 7
“Bushman,” he repeated the words to himself. She called him a bushman, a good-for-nothing illiterate that she felt ashamed to introduce to her acquaintances. “Wolves live in the jungle. Go there and join your brother and sister wolf in the jungle, bushman!.” Sanaa spat the words one day during an acrimonious dispute between her and…
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18XX – Part 6
It was by accident we discovered the truth. She was in love with him, from the first day she set eyes on him. Her home was hell, her husband a bushman she could not connect with on a deeper level. Then comes this young, intelligent and handsome guy who to her, represents an escape from…
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National Best Witch
“30 minutes more!” The invigilator announced. With a disorganized mind and perspiring hands I tried to complete the nonsense I was writing, struggling to have a firm grip on my pen. “Gosh! I am doomed!” It finally dawned on me. It was like the final seconds to the whistle for a team down by two…
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Grow soft
There are things in life once your soul spots them, it will never take its eyes off them and will never consider its stay on earth worth the trouble without ever laying its feet on these things. And to get them, you must discipline your soul to take its eyes off them for a moment…
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Accidental Thoughts – 1
The smell of fresh cash In hands that haven’t seen them for a while “At long last!” Hadn’t finished saying those words And a pair of hungry mouths Pop up to claim share Don’t remember seeing their names On the wad of notes Obliged to give Having known how it feels To be hungry Perhaps…
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Your past came knocking
Your past came knocking It came with a message packaged in the person of your Ex The urge to open it was strong But I resisted Wanted you to read it and tell me what it means for us Whatever you decide I just want you to know Darling, my collection of happiness That you…
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Creativity is a child
A true artist Doesn’t impose His lyrics On a beat But let the beat Speak to him A true sculptor Is an emancipator Granting liberty To beauties Trapped in wood and clay A true writer Is always a guest To inspiration His guide On an adventure To unplanned destinations
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18XX – Part 5
Many strange things happen in our school. Little did we know that Sharon, a pupil recently admitted into the school, was sent to uncover these mysteries. She was unusually bright for her age and had gained entrance into the school using a fake identity. Unknown to whatever secret agent behind Sharon, our school had specially…
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Patience
A farmer has a cutlass in hand, before him stretches of grass to be mowed. The heat from the sun is enervating, yet he pays no attention. He pays no attention, to his aching back and waist. He is not discouraged by the little work done so far as against the vast unfinished job ahead.…
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True Heroes
You will never be prepared enough to take on any new task. Close your eyes. Move. The heat will ripen you. You are a true hero if with nothing as capital to start up your life, you can lend the perseverance in your empty pocket to one defeat after another till your name becomes a…
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Let the sparks fly
They hear “secular music”. I hear talent. I hear creativity. I hear genius. And I ask myself, ” This music could still be great without the nudity in its video and the obscene language degrading it. Why can’t the artist see it?” They say, “This is porn. Do not watch it”. And as I stare…
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18XX – Part 4
Deafening silence punctuated by sounds of chalk on a blackboard and the shifting of the teacher’s feet. The brightness injected into the classroom through its door darkens slightly, forcing the teacher and a chunk of his pupils to turn to the door. There stood headmaster Baldwin, his almost toothless gums unable to express the big…
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Windows into God
God communicates less with words. He speaks more through pain. Learn to listen. He speaks through circumstances. Pay attention. He lives in your thought processes. Think back and recognize his invisible feet, trekking your thoughts, leading you to decisions and places you know not how you arrived there. The concept of impossibilities does not make…
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Seasons
You are like a tree. If you keep moving from one job to another, from one church to another, from one country to another, from one relationship to another or switching businesses every now and then, you won’t give yourself the opportunity to grow. Give everything a chance. Give that relationship a chance. Give that…
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18XX – Part 3
It was time for our first lesson. And as the teacher motioned for the board to be cleaned, I starred at him, wondering what could have brought him all the way from the south to the far north here with its harsh weather conditions. The south of the country was bustling with economic activities and…
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Play to be remembered
Pay attention to the things that fascinate you. Pay attention to the things that greatly inspire you. Pay attention to the things you find mentally-stimulating and thought-provoking. Be curious to find out things for yourself. For every truth out there, we’ve all got to write our own versions and live our interpretations of them. Never…
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18XX – Part 2
Whiles trying to take off my bag before occupying my seat beside the class window, I spot an intriguing figure roaming in the woods in the distance. Adrian, seated behind me, tugged incessantly at my shirt. He wanted to show me something hidden in his bag that he had smuggled to school. Suddenly, an open…
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18XX – Part 1
The isolated house on the small hill beside the river and the adjoining forest of dried trees standing far from one another as if at loggerheads, steamed in the pieces of winter dusted off the sky. I fixed my gaze on the vast river that stretched far into the fog, a wonder beyond my young…
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One day – motivational piece
One day you will meet someone who still has an attitude you gave up a long time ago when you saw that it brought about no progress to your life. It will be a sign. A sign of how far you’ve come. A sign of progress. A warrior once had to lie half naked in…
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Give me space
His mind An iron mold Casts words into poetry With impressive designs I marvel Starring down at mine The works of my mind Ugly designs Indents here and there From blows of low self-esteem And as I gaze At the stars in the night sky Stars of achievements Achievements of my predecessors I wonder If…
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Mirror
An isolated mind Breeding grounds for illusions Go live among people Hear stories See for yourself And see your illusions wilt And reality taking their place No one will tell you To bundle your illusions And cast them into the sea
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Pass it on
She cannot read She cannot write Imagine the wealth of potential Locked behind her walls Of illiteracy If you can read this Help another to see
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Brighter day
No food Rent Failing health Overwhelming debts No job Painful breakup Lonely Feel left behind Discouraged… Stay calm Keep calm There’ll be a brighter day
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I will tell you something
Whatever you are passionate about, be at it everyday, constantly improving yourself. Be it writing, acting, dressmaking, soap making, photography or catering, find new ways of becoming better at what you do everyday. Don’t let anyone look down on what you do. No matter how ordinary your job might seem, no matter how insignificant what…
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Ripe girls
Love mailed me her glances I hadn’t learnt to read To read her signs The same glance Kept coming In different persons I couldn’t I couldn’t see The message Boldly written On each opportunity One day whiles gleaning lessons From the footprints of time I came across a plantation of ripe girls Seeds of love’s…
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Adventures within
With outstretched arms Planes fly over my head To embrace Lands I have never seen I stare silently At the giant air sharks Across the sky Sailing away Far away I head home Saddened by visions of adventures I cannot afford Oblivious To adventures within No plane can see or reach No matter how high…
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Stay
Quit, if you can take it no longer. But, don’t forget one thing: this relationship can work if you are truly willing to give it all it will take. Give up on your daily hustle for a better tomorrow, if the pain is too much to bare. But, there’s one thing you would have missed:…
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With the little you have
Do you see so much around you and feel there is so little you can do? Injustice, discrimination, poverty, unemployment, social vices eating away the potential of young people, children growing up in broken homes. Perhaps all you can do in the midst of all these issues plaguing your world is to be there for…
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Be greedy
Constantly seek new ways of making more money, even if what you have seems enough. Never be content. Desire more. Be greedy. Be jealous. Be envious. Not the kind of greed that paints others black and seeks to kill them to take their place. But the kind that watches others closely to discover the secret…
Diary of a Wanderer 