I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
REVERSE REFLECTIONS
By Moshood Azeez
I was moulded out of blood and ink
With papery bones and flappy skins
Gifted with a clumsy handwriting
And messy mind
I grew up with dirty hawk-like claws
Complemented with unkempt black
hairs,
Ever-grumbling bowels, soiled brown
beds
And tattered clothes
I was baptised in water, blood and
spirit
By ecclesiastic priests and zealous
prophets
With an assurance of redemption,
grace,
And eternity
I’ve had my soaring ups and sinking
downs
Wallowed in thick mire of bad times,
Warmed in the bright light of good
times
And that has made me, Me
I have survived the corruption of my
thoughts
Though the torrents came in puffs
Yet, at the end of each gust
The resolve to be refined intensifies
Now, I cursively write in bluish-black
ink
From a brain intricately designed
To defy all known laws of man, history
And genetics
What I have become is an epitome
of survival
A lookup insignia for downtrodden
soul
An inspiration for the demoralized, the
dispirited
And the subjugated
Three decades have gone down the
waters
My rebirth, like a phoenix, is complete
Despite all odds, yet I live
I am me, I am refined
PERFECTION
By Ogundeji Abiodun
Why do we try so hard to be perfect?
Why does everyone always want to
be right?
Why does no one ever want to take
the blame?
Is it because we are too scared of
getting judged?
Or maybe we are just so conscious of
how we live?
Probably because we live in a world
where people live under the pre-
tence of religion to judge others?
Or because in our world good news
crawls like a snail while bad news
sadly spreads like a wild fire?
Maybe we just forget that it’s okay...
It’s okay to be wrong sometimes,
It’s okay to do whatever makes you
happy,
It’s okay not to be able to please
everyone,
It’s okay to regret some decisions,
It’s okay to keep striving,
It’s okay to want more...
Who is perfect?
What is perfection?
Anticipation by Nonso Nduanya, (Oil Pastel)
Do more than is
required. What
is the distance
between some-
one who achieves
their goals consis-
tently and those
who spend their
lives and careers
merely following?
The extra mile.”
- Gary Ryan Blair
January - March 2016 •
The Lion King
• 57
POETRY |
ARTS
