Poetry

Marie Frechon/UN photo

 

By

Ngozi Olivia Osuoha

 

 

 

Herdsmenization

 

 

Grazing in cities and highways

Grazing in schools and farmlands,

Grazing on lives and properties,

Herdsmenization; woes of nomadic farming.

 

Laying siege against a people

Waylaying indigenes for animals,

Ambushing citizens for beasts

Attacking and burning humans,

Herdsmenization; foes of nomadic farming.

 

They butcher scores

And leave sores,

They burn stores

And destroy chores,

They turn whores

For tiny pores,

Herdsmenization; woes of nomadic farming.

 

Killing for religion

Flesh for tradition,

Blood for culture

Animals for norms,

Cattle for heads

Cows for gurus,

Grasses for giants,

Fields for future,

Herdsmenization, foes of nomadic farming.

 

 

In Memory Of Those Killed By Herdsmen Especially In Benue State, Nigeria

 

 

 

 

Political Monsters

 

 

They are the gangsters

In many disciplines

Cooking the youngsters

To poison their wines.

 

They are the tricksters

Misguiding the populace

To feed the pranksters

At their own pace.

 

They are the masters

Playing every card

To suit their plasters

And make it hard.

 

They are the ill wind

Blowing left, right, front and back

Destroying the blind

For them to always lack.

 

They are the undercover

Wining and dining around,

For you not to take cover

Until they send you underground.

 

They are the chameleon

In beautiful colours,

But the real Napoleon

With cancerous odour.

 

Political monsters, the cankerworm

That stir the storm

And trouble our form,

The termite that eats our norm

And destroys our reform

Political monsters, the beast after our peace.

 

 

 

 

Campaign Promises, A Bunch Of Balderdash

 

 

The land is green

In fact, I bring you paradise

Forget the turmoil and torment

I am the Messiah and saviour,

Look, I come in peace

Heaven sent me to you

Weep no more, wail no more

I have come, rejoice

For your saviour is here;

A bunch of balderdash.

 

I will take you to heaven

And let you dine with God

You shall become a holy dove

Instead of a wild raven,

I have started the move

Just give me a nod;

A bunch of balderdash.

 

I will raise your ancestors

And call forth your unborn,

I will give you security

And grant you amnesty,

I will give you peace

And let your bone, grease

Campaign promises;

A bunch of balderdash.

 

Jobs shall look for you

And employments break you through,

No more prisons, no more crimes

No more wars, no more terrors

I have bargained with natural disasters

No more earthquakes, no more tsunami

Never again shall hurricanes rage

Landslides have been totally silenced

Wildfires now reside in hell

And floods sent back to the seas,

I have bound them all

Fear not, worry not

I have come.

 

Campaign promises

A bunch of balderdash.

 

Look poverty is dead

Starvation gone, hate defeated

Racism is subdued and terrorism, done

Listen, from now henceforth

All men are equal

Because we all

were born equal,

No more evil

Welcome to heaven:

Campaign promises,

A bunch of balderdash.

 

An open check to woes

A letter of deceit

A craft of roguery

A road to treachery,

Campaign promises

If you believe them

Then blame yourself.

 

 

 

 

Another Hymn Of Mine Tuned After “Abide With Me”

 

 

Heal this green land that the foe did subdue

Weed the tares off such holy a vineyard,

Water the field though tiny as mustard

Mount steady thy Seraph in royal blue.

 

Settle this wave, this strangest stormy sea

Calm the whirlwind that thunderest by the night,

Heal the wounded, the broken, downtrodden

Give them all grace to march on in pure strength.

 

For all we know, we cannot grow a pea

Hunger, lack, want, need, famine, war: our plight

We dare not choose for we are forbidden

Life really is worth less than just a breath.

 

Hear the poor soul, the stranded’s weary plea

Lift thine mercy lord toward every fight,

Hearken please dear, for nothing is hidden

Straighten and strengthen those who battle death.

 

Wash thoroughly and enlarge all our coasts

Border the north, south, east, west, up and down,

Surround our shores, guard all our waterways

Restore, renew, revive, redeem our crown.

Amen.

 

 

Dedicated To My Nation

 

 

 

 

 

Ngozi Olivia Osuoha

Ngozi Olivia Osuoha Is a Nigerian graduate of Estate Management with experience in Banking and Broadcasting. She has published over one hundred poems in over ten countries. Her two longest poems of 355 and 560 verses are available on amazon, THE TRANSFORMATION TRAIN and LETTER TO MY UNBORN respectively. She is a passionate African ink.