nice poems


Friday, January 29, 2016

BEFORE THE OLDEN DAYS(a poem by Sunsampaul Egwu)

Before the olden days
What happened?
Was it that homo sapiens
Where busy flaunting their private part in the air of unseen matter
Parabolating in the sphere of bushes
Dancing to the tune of hibiscus and rose
Life is sweet they thought
Where they in
Melancholy or ecstasy?
Where they created or procreated?

Was it before the olden days
That slave trade once live in our vineyard
That military coup became a daily news
That children run helter scatter
Mammals flaunting their breast to be sucked by hot dreaded sun
Men forced into Biafra war
Planes parading our town dropping droplet of dropping drops of bomb
Roof flaunting in the space of tin air
Bushes screaming in  forest

Was it before the olden days
That foreigners were sent parking
Troop lashing them with lashes back to their countries
Foreigners clustered in squatted tattered vehicle
With their "Ghana must go" on their head
They mourn for the maltreatment of their young ones
Their face folded like compressed loaf of agege bread
Eyes swollen like someone punched by May-Weather

Isn't it before the olden days
That white was distinguished from black
That made our fertile and profitable vegetations    spilled with oil
spillage caused by white
That made black
Kidnapped white in returns for the mess they created
Black begin to feed in dirty harvest
Drinking dirty and contaminated waters
Young ones dyeing of diarrhea
Aged ones dyeing of dehydration
Youth shrinking of pathetic pains

Don't you think it was before the olden days
That terrorist visited our villages
Our oil subsided
Water reduced
Famine increased
Souls decreased
Politics captured fear
Fear captured the weak
Politic became the game of death
Death raced in races of our race
Hope lost
Dreams quenched
Destinies truncated

Was it before the olden days
That corruption became the morsel we consume
Bomb blast became the trumpet we hear
Terrorist terrorizing our territory
Bandits banding in our bank
Banking in the halls of bankrupt
Basking in the basket of bask stairs
We now sleep with one eye open
They now stand with one hand akimbo

Don't you think it was before the old days
We were told that transformation will take place
Or was it a forlorn promise
That made many lag in the promise
They swept the promise under the carpet
And mounted a golden seat on the carpet
Sitting on the seat
But we sat on floor of anarchy
Melancholy rule our vestige
Our prestige made hostage
Freezing like a belated freezer

Was it before the olden days
That we were told about
Change emerging with range to dwell on our sage
To cut off our chains of pain
The change we still await
100 days past we haven't seen the change
Instead our chains of pains are increasing
Yet they sat on a bank
Basking in basket of ecstasy
While we mourn in basket of poverty
I thought it was before the olden days all these took place
Now I know before the olden days
Is an irony which means after the olden days.

©Copyright
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
04/10/15
6:05pm

MORROW MORROW(a poem by Sunsampaul Egwu)

The old die, and the young is born
Destinies truncated, futures created
Things turn around, same things fall apart
We are fading, our strengths degrading.

Pulchritude no longer in multitude, ugly vultures now living creatures
Destinies now in serenity
No home of sovereignty

The moon turns it back at us, leaving us aside.
Besides the pool of our nemesis
The good dies, and the poor lives.

Living to suffer the weight of hardship
Township becomes a sailing ship
Yet many sank
Without a u-turn
We all will one day sail the inevitable ship

We wait for a better morrow,
Even when the road is narrow,
That we can dodge all arrows
And attack with our sparrows

Morrow morrow
A new dawn of a better tomorrow
Nobody shall trespass nor borrow
Coz the lord has bless  tomorrow

©Copyright
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
02-01-16
04:04am

THE CONSENT(a duet by Sunsampaul and Datalent)

Sunsampaul d philosopher:
I've the fear
If I'm to call dear
Before it get rare
Or I turn to beer
I love to observe you
Not as if I don't deserve you
I better preserve you
Before I loose you

DaTalent:
Philo my saviour
I wouldn't want to use all my labour
To make you my harbour
For taking away my worries
I know you're not flirting
With a dog that needs bathing

Sunsampaul d philosopher:
I need no narrator
To mount a projector
That will make me a good suitor
To you my love

DaTalent:
Don't you think you are great?
Dearest Philosopher my mate.
Let's leave the flirty dog,
To its job if eating dung.
Come and be by my side
To give me pride

Sunsampaul d philosopher:
You flatter me with words
Fight for me with your sword
Prevent me from having sore
DaTalent you're truly my love for sure

DaTalent:
Flatter is an understatement,
With words I'd adorn your raiment.
You eyes spake of untold beauty
You're more than a deity

Sunsampaul d philosopher:
Your beauty makes me smile
Your shape eradicate my pile
Even when I want to lie
You drew me back to the line
You're more than a damsel
You look like you counsel
You are written in my conscience

DaTalent:
Oh! This praise for I alone?
With words I'd create a clone
Of you alone my love
Without the aid of gloves.

Sunsampaul d philosopher:
My heart beats faster than drum beat
Each time I hear your name I take a seat
Your hip I can't defeat
Your voice led me out of the pit
I respire and you repeat
The full version of the hit

DaTalent:
This love seems to shine so bright,
And melting away my plight.
Loving you should not be a crime,
Or better still a lime.

Sunsampaul d philosopher:
I'd love to taste that lime
Even if I'm not in line
I will spend my whole dime
Just to have a cool dine
And pour on you costly wine
That will make you fine
More than you are my love

DaTalent:
As much as I'd love to have you
I wouldn't want any girl beside you
Not wanting to leave you my dear,
And refuse your call I wouldn't dare.

©Copyright
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
#DaTalent
09-01-16
11:22am

A TASTEFUL TASTE(a poem by Sunsampaul Egwu)

Drumming like a drummer boy,
I've loved to see the summer burns.
Wet under my blanket,
With the good and bad trumpets.
They awaken corpse in casket,
It seems wasted, even after I fasted.

Alone in the confines of my heart,
I've seen the divine history of my mat.
My prophecies are no longer mysteries,
But in ecstasies defeating our histories.

A new dawn has come
For me to taste the tasteful taste,
Yesterday is gone. Welcome today,
Twenty-fifteen waved goodbye
To a tasteful twenty-sixteen.

A tasteful taste has come,
when souls pile out their tasteful resolutions.
Like rangers they fire to acquire the desire they admire.
Like strangers they become meek and gentle never to fumble and stumble.

A tasteful taste is here,
When good characters are born.
And bad characters will be burn,
Take the bull by the horn before you land in a happy sorrow
Trade a righteous path lest you step into an awkward awesome pit.

©Copyright
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
01-01-16
00:20am

PUNCTURED LIFE(a poem by Sunsampaul Egwu)

Pain, and grief
Has taken over as leaders.
Anarchy, and desolate now panders.
We're troubled.
We're disturbed.
We now feed on our feces
Our children Perishing,
And dieing in the slum
No food to feed,
They now live on weed,
Even with their fees.

We now sag and call it swag,
Living in dirtiness,
We consume filthiness,
Endure tortured smack,
When things are just sacked.
Our fate are smiling at us.

Our bones broken,
Lives taken,
Homes fallen,
No one to call unto.
Destinies shattered,
Souls butchered,
Our lives are punctured.

Our daughters raped,
Sons taken,
Mother's battered,
Fathers scattered.
What is left,
What is right,
Punctured life.

We've no peace,
We're no more at ease.
Some travel oversees,
To seek for peace,
Yet find no peace.
We are punctured,
Our homes in desolate,
Our leader we can't appreciate,
Coz they make us depreciate.
What is left,
What is right,
Our lives have been punctured.

©Copyright
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
08-01-16
08:44am
.

JESUS IS NOT BORING, RELIGION IS(a poem by Sunsampaul Egwu)

Souls clustering the abode of Yahweh
Longing to hear the sound city of shoki
Most of us now lodge in the bathroom of secular jazz in religious cap
Claiming to be saint in air-conditioned abode of worship

It wasn't David's stone that killed Goliath
Stone can't pierce a person's head
It was God's anointing that killed Goliath

Why do we say Jesus is boring when we dine in the apartment of Azonta
In his presence
Patching parks of six packs in the track of religion
All in the name of cracking worship

Let me brush your medulla
To know this about Jesus and religion
That will lead to the rays of convincing you that
Jesus is not boring
Religion is

Jesus says live
Religion says leave
Jesus gives life
Religion seeks life
Jesus gives peace
Religion seeks peace
Jesus gives joy
Religion seeks joy

Jesus is one
Religion differs
Jesus is not sentimental
Religion is
Jesus is God
Religion is not
Jesus lives
Religion was established
Jesus do wonders
Religion seeks for wonders

Jesus preaches salvation
Religion preaches prosperity
Jesus preaches eternal life
Religion preaches long life
Jesus is just
Religion is partial
Jesus says be humble
Religion says be proud of yourself

Jesus says love your foes
Religion says pray for your foes to die
Jesus is Supreme
Religion is not
Jesus is everywhere
Religion is not
Jesus says your sins had made you whole
Religion says your sins had separated you from God's love
Now tell me
Which is boring
Jesus or religion?

©Copyright
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
#Jesus is not boring, religion is
22/11/2015
9:43pm

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

WHEN LOVE CALLS(a duet by Sunsampaul and Mary Loto)



SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
Mary you've captured my heart
I didn't mean to stir at you like a bat
It wasn't my aim to fall in love with you
I tried too many times to ignore my feelings for you
I tried to ignore your well crafted art on earth and gifted hip
You are the one for me
Its hard for me to deny you when you flip
Night and day, your accent renders symphony
I keep thinking about you in harmony
Its tough to live a day without seeing your lovely face
Your voice takes me down in pace
Deep to the world of peace
You are my angel in disguise
Every time you come to my heart like a guard

MARY LOTO:
Oh I wish these promises are true
I can't explain what have been through
Its hard to say YES
I was in this shoes just like yesterday.
I won't deny I care bout you
Your words are unique.
I'm discombobulated
Afraid of being manipulated.
You are a giant amidst of ants
For am scare to be beaten by ants.

SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
My heart jumps with joy
Every step I take means a lot when I'm with you my joy
I'm lost around you, like a toy
Please show me the way to your sweet heart
Give me your time,
I promise I wont waste it on earth
Being your friend kills me dead
Mary know all your flip flops,
Give me a chance to mend your broken wings
I fell in love with the way you sing
I can fly fast to wipe your hurtful tears
It hurts when I see you cry in fear

MARY LOTO:
 Who am I to let go of you
Every damsel on earth want you
I don't want you in my life
I need u a million times to survive
I breath the power in your word
In you I found peace in this world
My heart plead for your continual love beat
For I don't want to loose you my heartbeat
Day and night
Night and day
I won't leave you alone
For your words are powerful like the King of Persia who is not unknown
  The source of this love I pray never runs dry

SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
 Make me touch where hurts nicely in you.
Big I wish when I think of you
Wishing you could see my heart been full of love.
Loving you hurt deep inside my lonely heart
I keep losing weight just for your love.
I cry for you, am feeling weak
I feel you deep, am losing focus
Take my hand
Hold it tight
Feel what I feel
Connect our pulse of love
Let's think like one hearted soul
Let's dream together
Let's be the perfect couple
You are my perfect kind
I feel you
Am I wrong to have faith in you?

MARY LOTO:
Your lovely words can make one die for you.
Make those promises no stillborn promises
In it we can have our premises
Help not toy with my heart
For Henry did and he toiled for it
Paul to you I surrender my heart
Even if it means to leave this earth.
Show me more of your love and the realm of your glory
I won't mind to change my name to Gloria.
So you can love me more than you love her

©Copyright
#Duet
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
#Mary Loto
24-01-16
03:06pm

CITADEL OF LIFE INTERVIEW WITH BABATUNDE ODUNBAWO

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
Briefly introduce yourself sir

Babatunde:
 I am Babatunde odubanwo....
A half ogun and delta boy
An art enthusiast, freelance journalist,writer,volunteer etc

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
We may like to know about your educational background

Babatunde:
Once a pupil at Green Pasture Nursery and Primary.school,attended
Effortswill Academy and a proud graduate of economics from Olabisi
Onabanjo University

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
How come as an economist . you're into journalism .Sir kindly tell us
how you did it

Babatunde:
 I had always love current affairs right from my pry sch....so i grew
up later in life,i saw the need to be in the know and try to
contribute my input...

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
 It's obvious you are fond of ambiguous words. How do you feel when
you begin to use those words

 Babatunde:
Ambiguity is the flavour of poetry....I started my writing as a poet
before diving into the panoptic aqua of the literary world. I feel as
normal as i can be.
I don't ride on high horse when i do.

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
What's your drive in life?

Babatunde:
The need for a better world and prospect of achieving best in all endeavour

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
 What do you think should be corrected in the life of African youth?

Babatunde:
 First amongst is that we are Africans and nothing can be European
about us. The earlier we know,the better. Because it will predispose
us to the assertion that there is much greatness in you when he knows
what he stands for.

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
 What can you say about  MLK's speech "I have a dream". I mean Martin
Luther King

Babatunde:
It was visionary and revolutionary. I have read almost all his
speeches- he is a man with good command of poetic stance that holds
his audience spell bound. On this fateful day,28th August 1968, he
stood on the platform to speak to a massive crowd but the penned words
would not be sufficient but the very essence why he was created-one of
the hero of good cause and martyr of the black freedom.
The speech was phenomenal because it was a reality that everyone knew
but they were too lost by the prejudice that cornered them. MLK's
fearlessness was the arrow to the target

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
You're as well a historian, noe tell me what do you think should be
done for Africa to be heaven on earth if possible?

Babatunde:
Nothing much of peculiar significance....learn what the forefathers.
Improve on it.....then you're great

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
Now as a writer, what drives you to write?

Babatunde:
 First God is my inspiration. Then nature and situation

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
As a person who studied economics, yet you are a writer and freelance
journalist. Do you think you followed your destiny?

Babatunde:
Yes. I am fulfilled doing it

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
 Then what can you say about destiny?

Babatunde:
In my progenitor's parlance,there is maxim which says thus:
ikunle yan ni adayeba
Adayetan,oju n kan wa ...
meaning.....The divine maker had ordained what we will become before
birth,yet we hurry to make a grwat mark.when we are born.
Destiny is the creator's right that cannot be questioned.
The french says que sera sera
meaning what will be will be...
So the best we can do is to pray and follow where the direction leader

 Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
 This is what inspired me when you speak or when I see your poems.
Your ambiguity kept souls in perplexity. The way you combine them with
Greek, Spanish even Latin.
Well sir, I'm 100% sure you are among the READ ALOUD with US
consulate. Kindly tell us about it and we call it a day

Babatunde:
Yes....Read it loud is a writers conglomeration where all gets
themselves a platform to express and the larger world their works
either by performance and reading. It is organised by the Us consulate
to improve reading. Reading culture among the Nigerian youth. and help
grow artistic prowess. And we're expecting our people here to register
and be part of it

Sunsampaul d Philosopher:
Thank you sir for your time

Babatunde:
The pleasure is mine sir

BE MY VALENTINE(a duet by Sunsampaul and Gomezga)




SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
Gome it's close to valentine day
Will you be my val
So I cab have all the love
You've promised to give to me
I barely sleep at night
I keep watch like a knight
See I'm gazing at your sight
You love is in my mind
I feel I'm inside
Pls don't take me outside
Let me sit and give your back side
I'll also appreciate your front side
It's more sexy than the one I saw at water side

GOMEZGA LOURENCIA:
 Tell me Philosopher
I can't deny the feelings I have for you
My heart beats fast at the sight of you
But tell me first
Do you want me to be your Valentine only
Or there is love attached to this ?
Are you sure its me you see in your dreams?
Are you not insomniac that you barely sleep?
Convince me first
On what ground should I build my trust on

SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
Gome you're the one I'll love to be with
Each time you stare at me, you're so sweet
I'll love to have a tasteful taste
Of that special dish you are endowed with
That dish that I won't toil with
Your kisses are in my midst
Your lips are very sweet
Just like a thread, I'll love my lip stick to your lip

GOMEZGA LOURENCIA:
Philo to be in Love is so sweet
When you are in it with the right person
Am glad you are that person
Bum am I right to you
Is this Love or lust?
I love every moment we spend together
Teasing you that's my hobby
Leaving red lipstick on your lips
Locking them with mine
As if its the end of the day
Wish valentine would come so fast
So that I be in your arms so tight

SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
I've love to hold you tight
Fold your so right
Let your head rest on my thighs
Let my head rest on burst
As we always love to stay
I pray it will be today
So we both will rise and make hay
Having no time for delay
I'll plant a kiss on your face
Letting my lip move in pace
So you will be at Peace
Caressing your thighs with ease
As you always long for
I'll make you feel what u wish
Give you all your wish
Treat you like a golden fish
Wash your lip with kisses

GOMEZGA LOURENCIA:
In my mind that's your place to dwell
In my heart
That's your home forever
As long as I am your only BOO
I will give you freedom to RULE
Your kisses make me float on air
Send butterflies in my eyes
Fireworks in my head
Oh! How I long for them
How I wish you could give me some now

SUNSAMPAUL D PHILOSOPHER:
Let's not rush into them now honey
Else you'll start feeling horny
Besides today is sunny
I'll love us to do it when it's raining
So we can feel the love  in nice atmosphere
I'll surround you with plata of kisses
By then you can feel horny in this biosphere
Gome you gave me sleepless night
I'll love to squeeze you rich
Hold you firmly and tight
Let the current flow from my body to yours
Let our future kids feel the love
You're all I got
Last year you we're not not val
This year I'm happy to propose to you
Gome pls be my val
And you shall receive more of this love you long for

GOMEZGA LOURENCIA:
 I will gladly be your Val
Be there in your entire life
Feed you with genuine love
That you will even feel it at the back of your eye
Give me the gift you bought
As I wait patiently for them
I wish I could rush to the 14
So that I can be with you
Be in your warm embrace
As you cover cover my lips with warm kisses
PHILO I will be your VALENTINE.

ABOUT THE POETS:
Sunsampaul Egwu Philosopher is a poet, instrumentalist, computer
science student and publish writer. He's a true breed of Africa from
Nigeria, the giant of Africa, he has written many duets with different
African poetess. He's the founder of citadel of life and pioneer of
ghetto city of poetry, he blogs at citadeloflife.blogspot.com.

Gomezga Lourencia Chirambo is a true breed of Africa from the warm
heart of Africa, Malawi. She is a student at The Polytechnic under the
University of Malawi( UNIMA) studying Transport and Logistics. She is
a writer that writes poems and short stories. She love singing and has
a charming accent.

©Copyright
®Reserved for Valentine day
#Duet
#Sunsampaul d Philosopher
#Gomezga Lourenci

I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL(a poem by John Chizoba Vincent)

I want to go to school
Where papers draw lines on the sky;
Where we see our future beckoning at us.



I want to learn how to steal with the biro
I want to reveil the hidden lines on the sky;
To reveal the sky' dirtiness to the world.



I want to go to school without a book,
I want to join those barking farmers;
Those farmers without hoes and cutlass yet; they go to farm.



I want to sit among those seated with the moon;
Watch those that fly in the sky without wings,
I want to go and learn how to wet graves with tears.



I want to steal and speak corruption,
Hold Bible on my left hand and, gun
On my right with ease and confidence.



I want learn to write lines that break ribs,
To baptise many with words that change;
I want to go to school to learn change.



I want to learn how to cry under the water,
Learn if fishes ever get thirsty of water;
I want to know why birds don't  fall off trees when they sleep.



I want to go to school and learn why building is  called building when it is already built;
Why they say dogs food is new and improved,
when no one tastes it.



I want to know why and why and
Why pizza is round and  comes in a square box;
Why doesn't glue stick to its bottle,
And why money does not grow on a tree but banks have branches.



I want to go to school and learn why I'm me,
And me and I never agree together when in trouble;
I want to learn why lizard has no hair and why
The sky is white without lines drawn on it.

PEN ERRAND(a poem by John Chizoba Vincent)

I know that even when others deceive me, you can't decieve me with your blossoming ink of truth.
Go tell them what has happened to our budget,
Tell them that our budget is missing in a broad day light, who stole it? We Are yet to know.
Tell them that the chibok girls have not return from the forest of lies.
Tell them that the president is confused in fighting corruption.
Tell them that the same looters are our ministers in the government house.





Go to the school, tell the teachers that they have lied to us.
They told us that we are the leaders of tomorrow and our hopes were lifted up, happy. Joyful. Excited.
Yet, the old men still control us like cattle in the field.
They taught us how to carry Bible on our left hands
And then, hold gun on our right hands to kill.
They taught us to keep lies on our upper teeth and
Truths on our lower teeth and deceit at the tip of the tongue.
How the weak sun smile, they shows us with laughter
How the air was inverted with a cloud of worry; they taught with a black chalk which depict darkness.






Go tell the moon that the world is not happy with it,
Why colour our world with white while we need darkness, darkness that speak honestly to humans?
Stop no where until you get to the skin of the sky,
Paint it with red and black of your tongue, humans
Don't need white sky but black and red sky.
Hurl my soul to the people of the earth, smile not!
Laugh not, pen! For the gods are blind to see your work.
Where are the gods of the land which supposed to shield us to peace?!
Where are the gods in this land?
Where is Obatala, Ogun, Amadioha, Sango, Arusi?
Where are they, my beloved pen?
It wasn't so in the beginning, no, it wasn't so in our time.






Your words is but a candle on stand with men,
You will make many blind and many loose their senses when you start with your endless talking.
What good is that to them that they live on earth?
All have sinned and you must tell them the truth,
Do not be gentle on those hard stone, honey pen.
Go! go!! Go tell them of the pains they have caused
While I remain in this darkness called bar of truth.
Hide nothing from any man or woman, understand?!
Men have chew many cud in their mouths and this had made them forget their creator's warning of love.





Hold the church at ramsom because they caused the war, religion war against one another in the church.
Tell the pastor of your observation; of his drifting off from the doctrine of God, the creator of the universe.
Ask the Imam why many are killing in his mosque,
Why many has created their own part instead of the
Path of their prophet; Mohammed, why?
Then, return to the church and ask the pastors why
Prosperity sermons is the order of the day, pretty pen;
Don't be shy and intimidated on this journey.
Many would abuse you but forth I send you not backward.







Tell the government they have done us more bad than good.
The masses are weeping at the door of their houses,
Commotion here and there in their handwritten letters
The oil they made to fight against us in an abnormal way.
Our hearts they have taken to their hearts to dine with.
When shall the call of intergrity be made to us?
When shall all return home to feast together as one family?
Tell them we see all their works to us under the sun,
Every one shall receive their reward when the time comes.
No king forever, soldier go, soldier come, barracks remain the same.







Stories foretold between my fingers are the sad ones.
Dreams made real by the stroke of a golden pen is real to the boredom of their looted ego in the world.
Blue inks manifest to change course of humankind but their dirty hearts foretold of an unchanged facts.
Red inks warn of impending wordless doom that will befall men when their hearts remain the way it is.
Black ink is the colour of their souls, black demons.
A writer's morsel is pictures in the brain of his brain.
Tell them to turn to the rhymes of their dance and watch how the beads they wear will mock them in tears.





Let your words be broken into verses so that they could understand that life wasn't to get and eat alone.
Mighty pens speak and, I know you won't disappoint me when you see their faces in the light rooms.
Do not look at their faces nor look into their eyes!
Those faces and eyes are decieving to look at.
Your languages their tongue may not understand but write it down on a white parchment paper shrivels under your bleeding  body, maybe they would understand.
Words are my wealth, the wealth you really need to share with the world to know of our pains.








Journey of a pen knows no destiny nor fate of others,
They may take your words or leave them at the door of their ears but; make sure you speak what I asked you to speak to the dying world of sin.
I cannot beg the graveyard to teach men of quality of being honest but, I can only plead you to redirect their steps .
I may not  have to  live completely to write but this errand I sent you shall represent me long before am gone, the legacy of your message to the world shall not be wipe away nor be chased away from people's heart.
I die tomorrow but death never kill me when my words are evidence in their hearts.




(C) John chizoba vincent
Voice from Nkporo

A TATTERED CALL OF LIFE TREASURE (a poem by John Chizoba Vincent)

"Hello, can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can hear you. Speak forth to my ears."
"Now drop your ears to my mouth and hear, brother"
"Ok, here they are"
" I have been betrayed at the backyard and only you
Can bring back the eyes in the darkness to light.
I didn't murder the precious quill I was accused of and, I didn't with held the thousand songs of the mourners. Look into the goat skin bag on the wall,
You will see the evidence of a sparkling eyes that
Will tell you of my innocence.
Returning the market yesterday, I was restricted of my right as a commoner. Stained. Battered. Abused without anyone to fight for me.
Then I killed in defense of my weakness, all eyes were there watching, watching how the mad man slapped and hit me hard, like a harden criminal.
Then I retaliated in tears and killed him right away.
The father took refuge under the roof of his wealth , if the story is told anywhere, I am innocent of the crime, nothing remain except self confession, confession that I am guilty to be killed because, my freedom is gone. I will be hang tomorrow afternoon."
"No, the beads must be taken to the shrine"
"Do not hear with a watery eyes, it is of a truth that your brother will be hang tomorrow. If you can go to the darken shrine this night to tell father, do, but make sure you till the land tomorrow to plant the Ugu, so that we don't die together. Money for the labourers is in the goat skin bag on the wall and, there; is your wrist beads in the cupboard, make sure you wear it to the shrine. There are many golds and silvers buried at the inner room behind the clay pot in case you don't know.
At the shrine, beside the female goddess is a bundles of currency buried by me when papa died.
Take, merry, and eat; tomorrow may not come to you after am gone.
In fact, let me tell you this ear breaking tattered tale, father is not your father and I'm not your brother."
"How tattered and dark is this story?"
"So dark, tattered and fearful brother, the man you called father killed your father and took you in a shamed ill mannered surrender of cowardice. Becareful you die not to night in the shrine. Remember, I will be hang tomorrow; becareful, you may or you may not survive this tribulation."
"Please, are you the light or the darkness?"
"Drop your ears again, brother. Darkness defined my dark self and your life have been in darkness because I was in the room with you.
I will be hang tomorrow, remember; go meet your uncle who is the president of this country if you can survive this. Here I drop my call, we will never see again if tomorrow comes but let all runners of accusation fingers know that life itself is a mystery."




(C) john chizoba vincent
20/1/ 2016

HOW TO BE A GREAT WRITER AND ARTISTE

I am often asked to provide advice from up and coming poets and writers on how to “do spoken word” properly or ways to better themselves as spoken word (i.e. performance) poets. Below is a short but essential list to get you started.

1. Be True To You!

The best poets speak from an authentic experience or perspective. Don’t try to speak on something that you know nothing about or can’t really relate to. It will come across as being unauthentic at best and pretentious and self-serving at worst. Poetry is something you feel. It is organic to your soul and before you can have an impact on others it must be true to you first.

2. Have Something To Say

Here’s a little secret. Most poetry slams and many open mics I don’t particularly care for. Why? Much of the time the poets focus too much on shock or catering to the lowest common denominator. I don’t care about your real or made up sexual exploits, your manufactured anger or your assorted proclivities. The audience is asking the question “How does what you say relate to my life?” How are you empowering me or shining a light on society? How are you celebrating beauty or art? How are you reminding me of our humanity or our inhumanity to others? Your poetry should be something of value or at the very least not something of detriment.

3. Respect and Know Your Audience

“Everything ain’t for everybody” as the saying goes. Know your audience. Does the poem contain alot of phrases or language that no one in the audience will really understand or relate to? Are there a bunch of children in the audience or people whose first language is not the language of the poem? Also…Respect your audience! Part of the reason why I don’t frequent many poetry venues is because I can only take but so many gratuitous uses of profanity, odes to past lovers (real or imagined) or obscenities under the guise of “art”. I am not totally anti-profanity in a poem. Sometimes that is the “realest” and most appropriate way to relate the truth of a particular piece for some people. As a rule for myself I never use profanity in my poetry…ever. But most poets use profanity simply for shock value or more usually due to a lack of creativity. Can’t think of a sophisticated word?…okay “f this”. Can’t create true emotion?…true anger in a piece?…okay “bleep you”. I don’t consider that respecting the audience. People are giving you their eyes and ears.  Respect that. Don’t vomit on the mic. Most people who like good poetry don’t particularly care for gratuitous foul language. It’s the nature of the medium…it’s a higher art form.

4. Take Poetry Seriously

If you take a lazy approach to the art form it will come across amateurish at best and boring and annoying at worst. If you care about your work the audience will care about you enough to listen to what you have to say. It will also help you to have a professional look to your performance. Look at top singers and rappers and you will see a huge difference between them and those in your typical talent show. Even if there are only 5 people in the audience (and since you are a poet that will be the case on many occasions) be professional and hone your craft. Study poetry. Read poetry. Look at performances of slam poets (though I don’t often care for the “poetry” of slam poets their energy is a clinic on good performing) and practice. Practice in a mirror. Look at how you move (or don’t move). Think of what you do as a craft and become a craftswoman or craftsman.

5. Slow Down!

You can improve your performance by a factor of 10 by simply speaking slower. It’s not a race to the finish line. Poetry is not like listening to music where you can just sort of veg out a bit and just sort of “groove to the vibes”. Poetry audiences actually need to understand what you are saying. There is no vegging out. YOU ARE THE MUSIC! So take your time and also pause appropriately. There’s nothing like a strategically placed pause that allows the thought just completed to marinate a bit. Most performance poets spit out their words too quickly and you lose people when you do that or cause them to WORK TOO HARD to keep up with the NASCAR driver of Spoken Word.

6. Under 3 is Key!

3 minutes! That should be your time limit. People have a fairly short attention span when it comes to performances. This isn’t the 1970’s where you can have a 12 minute song. This isn’t Jazz where the quartet will perform one piece for like 22 minutes where everyone gets a solo. Even I won’t listen to a 12 minute poem! Most of my poems are in that 3 minute range. Because I am a particularly energetic and rhythmic kind of poet I can get away with an occasional piece that approaches the length of a modern pop song (4 mins). If you stay under 3 minutes you maintain the audience’s attention and you don’t start to bore or annoy people. Note: In Slam poetry your time limit is 3 minutes with point deductions coming for every 10 seconds over time.

7. Perform, Perform, Perform!

This is performance poetry. Spoken Word by its nature is part theatrical performance and part monologue. If people wanted someone to just read poetry from a book with no emotion…no “umph” they could do it themselves. Spoken Word is PERFORMANCE poetry. That doesn’t mean you turn into an actor or rapper or singer or comedian though all of those elements may appear in your work. It means that you have an understanding that you are bringing the words and feelings to life. But keep in mind the earlier points of being “true to you” so that your performance doesn’t come off as a drama class exercise.

8. Memorize Your Stuff

The single greatest technical change I made as a poet was to memorize my stuff. It was so freeing! And being that I incorporate a great deal of movement when I perform it was especially beneficial for me to memorize my poetry. I was no longer encumbered by having to hold a piece of paper or stand in front of a podium. But even for people who are less physical on stage memorizing your poetry does several things that benefit you:
  1. You can see your audience and therefore connect with them.
  2. Connecting with your audience through eye contact allows them to see your emotion better and relate to you.
  3. The paper and the mic stand create an unwanted barrier between you and the audience.
  4. It removes a “crutch”. You don’t have that paper to fall back on and makes you a stronger poet.
  5. It removes an obstacle. How many times have you seen a poet flub or skip a line because they missed their place?

READ IT LOUD

 Read it loud is a monthly literary convergence that draws from every
spheres veteran and amateur word smith.
It is organized by the Us consulate and is aimed at encouraging
writing and reading success.

  Every attendee gets a chance to express his piece to the world and
may also be availed the unmatched opportunity of
unlimited resources that will boost your writing.
Email : Wyllagos@state.gov

 2 Walter Carrington street,Victoria Island Lagos.

tinyurl.com/ircregistration
For further correspondence:
Email : Wyllagos@state.gov
1st Thursday of every month, 2pm prompt.

Do well to tell your friends about it. You'll gain a lot from it
Readitloud is an initiative of public affairs section of the US
consulate, Lagos. A month literary meeting,  it's meant to encourage
and foster creative writing,  for enquiries or submissions, email
Wyllagos@state.gov

Friday, January 22, 2016

POETRY; THE STRUCTURE BEHIND THE WORDS #by Anthony Abten

 POETRY
Intro,

That a poem is to be read for its "message,"

That this message is "hidden" in the poem,

The message is to be found by treating the words as symbols which
naturally do not mean what they say but stand for something else,
You have to decipher every single word to appreciate and enjoy the poem.
 Poetry is the art of streamlining words to convey a hidden message to
the audience.
This "art" Is made of several patterns, structure, styles, rules, guidelines etc
An important method of analyzing a poem is to look at the ' stanza
structure or style ' of a poem.

Generally speaking, Structure has to do with the overall organization
of lines and/or the conventional patterns of sound.

Again, many modern poems may not have any identifiable structure i.e.
they use mostly free verse.
 When writing a poem, you consider,
1: Message
2. Style
3. Structure
4. Punctuation marks
 You got your message
E.g "nature "

Your "style " is next

 STYLE / FORM :

A poem may or may not have a specific number of lines, rhyme scheme
and/or metrical pattern, but it can still be labeled according to its
form or style.

Here are the three most common types of poems according to form:
Lyric poem
Narrative poem
Descriptive poem

Lyric poem conveys strong emotions and feelings in a poem.

Narrative poem tells a story, more like prose but the style distinguish it.

Descriptive poem explains the world or anything,  giving vivid facts
about such entity. The first style  ask
"what emotion do you want to reveal towards nature ( note, nature
here, is an example)  is it good or bad.
The second style ask
"what event did nature affect, be it rain, sun,  hazard, etc"

 The third style ask
"what is there in nature, you want to talk about, plants,  animal life etc.
After choosing such,  we move to the structuring,

The stanzas
The sound patterns
The metre and rhyme

 STANZAS:

 Stanzas are a series of lines grouped together and separated by an
empty line from other stanzas. They are the equivalent of a paragraph
in an essay. One way to identify a stanza is to count the number of
lines.

 Thus:
couplet (2 lines)
tercet (3 lines)
quatrain (4 lines)
cinquain (5 lines)
sestet (6 lines) (sometimes it's called a sexain)
septet (7 lines)
octave (8 lines). But some of these stanza may have its own rhythm
rule,  like the cinquain.

SOUND PATTERNS:

Three other elements of poetry are rhyme scheme, meter (i.e. regular
rhythm) and word sounds (like alliteration). These are sometimes
collectively called "sound play" because they take advantage of the
performative, spoken nature of poetry (like spoken word poetry) and
more rhyme (page poetry) .

RHYME:

Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds. In poetry, the most common
kind of rhyme is the
end rhyme , which occurs at the end of two or more lines.

 Example of end rhyme

Forlorn fleas flee in "fray,"
Flutter in circles of "glee,"
No pressure for the riding "gray:"
Nor the tales of a soldier "bee."
The rhyme scheme is " abab"

Meter:

The systematic regularity in rhythm; this
systematic rhythm (or sound pattern) is usually identified by
examining the type of "foot" and the
number of feet.

A foot is traditionally the number of syllable per line stressed and unstressed

A foot is
 "Nor the tales of a soldier bee"
Feet are
"No pressure for the riding gray:
Nor the tales of a soldier bee."

Syllabic count
/Nor/ /the/ /tales/ /of / /a/ /sold/ /ier/ /bee/  8 syllable.

Blank Verse: Any poetry that does have a set metrical pattern (usually
iambic pentameter) , but
does not have rhyme , is blank verse.
 Free verse, frankly, has no rules about meter or rhyme whatsoever!
[In other words, blank verse has rhythm, but no rhyme, while free
verse has neither rhythm nor rhyme.
African poets love free verse because its simple, easy, quick, not stressful.

Structure to words.
I, learned of the ways of Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, Robert
frost, William Blake etc,  have been drilled to understand that,
The structure you use can make and destroy your work.
If you see the rules as blocks,  you won't succeed.

First,  get your message into the words,
Then shape the words into the structure.
Style has to do with the design of the structure,
Like the design on a book or dress.
Style,  is what gives the poem edge.
We have different types of style Like,
Sonnet,
Ballad,
Ode,
Villanelle
Elegy etc.

©Copyright

CITADEL OF LIFE LECTURE #By Kolawole Taiye Paul #Hosted by Sunsampaul

I'm Kolawole Taiye Paul, a publish poet and student of English and
Literary study at Kogi state University Anyiagba, Kogi State. I'm also
the assistant co-ordinator of Ghetto City Of Poetry. Today I'll be
discussing the topic:
 Reconstrustion of our minds for a liberating ART:The kind of writing
that facilitates 'change.'

 For the sake of 'proper understanding,' the following 'key' terms are
defined by oxford advanced dictionary(8th edition)

Reconstruction:
The activity of building again something that has been damaged or
destroyed: the  reconstruction of the  of the sea walls

Mind:
Your ability to think and reason;your intelligence;the particular way
that somebody thinks

Liberate:
To free somebody from something that restricts their enjoyment of
life: writing poetry librated her from the routine of everyday life.
However,it should be taken note of that we used the continuous form of
the verb,'liberating.'

ART:
Visual art, music,theatre,literature,etc when you think of them you think of ART

Change:
To become different.
It should be strongly noted that the change being referred to is not
the 'Nigerian political change being clamoured.'It goes beyond that.
We meant 'different' in everything. Finally
,if you are very
  observant,you should know that we have only used the definitions
that suit the purpose of this lecture.
Let's keep the ball rolling....Welcome everyone.

 There is no doubt that African literature began with literature of
lamentations, at least written African literature. This was due to the
struggle of Africans during colonization and even apartheid in south
African. There was proliferation of Creative arts that was/is full of
lamentations for the sake of libration from the shackles of
oppression.

This cuts through the three genres. Poetry, Prose, and drama. We do
not blame the writers of these kind of writings as at that time
because the occasion demands it. For example such works of
lamentations and protest includes the works of the great chinua
Achebe,Wole Soyinka,Athol fugard,okot p'bitek to mention a few.

There is no doubt that this kinds of literature provided the platform
for social criticism, as the author tries to portray the real society
in his/her works. Mind you,the work of a writer is not to be a social
critic. His/her job is first to write. Whatever genre suits his or her
ability. Having established this fact, Africa, although free from
colonialism still suffers from imperialism,modern slavery and
ultimately bad governance and poverty. The effect of bad governance is
evident almost in all the African states today. Thereby increasing the
numbers of social critics including we creative writers. Some African
writers seldom write anything without lamenting one plight or another
in Africa. The question is. Is this the primary job of a writer?

Yes there are theories that back this up, especially the fact that
writers are considered as prophets in the society. They make realities
come alive on papers. Now, must we continue to be prophets of doom
even though situation warrants it? In lamenting, contemporary writers
have continue to dance to the tune of early writers-lamentations. This
has in no way Change situations in Africa, they only make things
worse. Most writers just paint the fact that the uglies reside only in
Africa. Now there is a kind of art that should librate us at this
stage.

Writers in Africa have done less in projecting Africa as a great
continent,so are the theories they engage in writing their works. I
can boldly say that the theory that celebrate Africa and Africans is
the negritude theory. Other theories have been used only to relegate
Africa as a continent and the great black people in it. A kind of
writing should librate us, it was what i called a librating art. It
facilitates change. Especially change in the manner the international
community looks at Africa.

 Africa is not the worst continent in the world, writers of whatever
kind should work in portraying the positivities in Africa.You may be
as hort story writer, a poet,a novelist, a dramatist, or even a visual
artist.

 Your 'mode of representation' should favour Africa and portray it as
a blessed continent even in the midst of turmoil. For how long shall
we continue to lament? Do more works on the beauty of Africa as a
continent, there are only few who does this. There is a way it
liberates the people in the society, at least there minds.

A colleague in school had said that the African child is made to sing
always,'London bridge is falling down. 'There are so many bridges in
Lagos,it can fall down too. We need to produce more arts that
celebrates the values of Africa as a continent,if not our work of
lamentations will keep relegating and projecting Africa to the outside
world as a continent full of calamities. The northern region of my
country suffers from insurgency...It was okay for writers to write
about this,but many has turned it to a song they sing everyday with
their artworks. I am not against  using that as a raw material...but
don't turn it to something else. Other countries in the world suffer
from insurgency too. All we have been praying for ,is that peace
should reign in Africa and that Africans live in peace. I am not
saying that African writers should not portray the situation as it
is,but we already have too much of such literatures.

Let's start writing more works that celebrate Africa. This may be
difficult because Africa still passes through a lot of  social
problems,  Terrorism, Bad governance, Nepotism, Tribalism, and more.
No doubt,but your works as well should uplift the image of Africa.

As we draw the curtain. I would like to first be an example
 A 'preacher' lives by example...And that's why i love the fact that
someone called me a preacher earlier...
So I'll share one of my poems. It was written sometime this year

PLAY THE DRUM

Play the drum drummer

With arm, hand and stick

With stick,hand and arm play the drum.

The hide has been sunned for you

Straightened for those energetic hands

For with one you cuddle And with the other you hit

To produce heat-ehn ooo gbedu

You make sweat a thing so sweet Play the drum drummer

With arm,hand and stick

With stick,hand and arm play the drum



Our kembe await the vigour of the evening breeze

This abeti aja must fly its ears to your sounds

For you hit to produce sound so sweet And it is sweetness to hear this sound

Sailing across the sahara beneath our feet Play the drum drummer

With arm,hand and stick

With stick,hand and arm play the drum

For our breasts need to break the wind-

So silent to the cry of our ileke.



Let us lift our aso oke in array of colours To compliment the cry of the hide.

Let our waists bounce in response

To your play placating the peace

Of the evening breeze Play the drum


Hit the drum

Tighten your grip

Shake the drum

Roll the drum

Jerk it up And bring it down

Remove beneath your arm's care

To your thigh's care

Beat it with hand and stick Play the drum drummer

With stick,hand and arm

With arm,hand and stick play the drum

Turn round and round ayan...



Ayan..., round and round in turns. It pays to play the pain out

Exert pressure on the hide

Soften your grip

Drag the tip of that bent stick

On the field of that drum.



We see your sweat

Tracking ours on the wing of sound

Our feet paint the flour

But no more dust. Stop the drum drummer

Without hand and stick

But in your arm

The sound flees,

Our feet freeze

As we return to normal.
(c)2015.

®All rights reserved
©Copyright
29-12-15
10:50pm

CITADEL OF LIFE LECTURE TOPIC: WRITE FROM YOUR HEART by Alex Osagie.

Peace be upon you all, I'm Alex Osagie, a poet, counsellor and a prolific writer, I'm grateful to be here. Happy new year everyone. Today we shall discuss on a topic 'write from your heart'. As I begin to share tonight permit me to first share something that came from my heart earlier in the day. I do regular Brain Storming session and below is today's own.
BS Session "GET SENSE"
Officially all the euphoria of festivity is giving way to reality. Work begins, Life grinds. I am a great believer of prophecy and declaration but it won't pay the bills if you don't get do what you must and will. See if you like keep drinking or bathing in anointing oil, it won't cure ignorance remember people perish not for bad government or economy but lack of knowledge (get sense). Bros/ Sis get sense, to end your predicament and nonsense. Why must you get sense:
1) To whom brain is bestowed, sense must be disposed and exposed. The calendar is counting, what is your agenda amounting
2) Singing my helper daily without strategic positioning, that's confirmed recipe for suffer. Help comes when you are helping yourself
3) Packaging cannot hide ignorance for long, its like wearing a dirty socks, once you take off the shoe, you bring climate change. Get knowledge package, stop empty package.
Get sense, stop the nonsense in ignorance. The god's are not to be blamed but yourself. If you can't invest in yourself, who will? #R4HL
Get sense, get a coach. Stop living in delusion, that you don't need one. People MAY never attain their full potential until they ARE coached. #W3
Prov 13:20 Ever wondered why it is said common sense isn't common, because only few people truly and genuinely get sense. #R4HL
Euphoria of festivity is giving way to reality. If you passionately desire to get sense/ coach let's talk on BBM 25E8C472.
Now for me that came from my heart, note that isn't a spoken word or poetry but I wrote from my heart. I will be sharing from my heart. We are all in one form of writing or another. Whatever we write must have a message. And all true message come from the heart and not the head, people know when it gets to their heart and if you speak from the heart you will know too.
Now have anyone ever finished performing and you felt like you have been drained and deflated. And have anyone finished performing and the crowd applauded and you know within you didn't do anything. Now I shared those two instances to show us something. Preparation and REHEARSALs are very key but we must always speak / write from the heart. Some of the ideas are:
Idea 1: Write about pain.
We are in the emotion business hence we must have a very high emotional intelligence, do you know people will always connect to you when you speak/ write about pain. Why? In one way or another if we are brutally honest, we all have gone through or are currently going through one pain or another. For example, some are going through the pain of traffic if you live in Lagos. Student have the pain when data is left with 10mb,  job seekers have the pain of no jobs, there is pain everywhere until we get to heaven, as long as we are on earth we won't run out of pain. In fact not having a pain is a pain, whether you live in Nigeria or in Spain.
Idea 2: write simple.
Yeah I know many would want my head on a plate for this but simplicity is the new sophistication, how many people here have listened to Adele's "Hello". One word for that song is.? What's the one word that best describe the song? The song to me is simple yet with a strong message, which leads me to the third idea
Idea 3: what's the message.
I know you like shakitibobo but please can someone tell me the message In the song. Someone tell me the message in Darey Alade "pray for me" Now you see how does this relate to writer and spoken worders.
Idea 4: Minister.
You see many of us think what we do is a show but truth is it is not, we are as powerful as music ministers and pastors. We can share pieces that can open blind eyes, unlock deaf ears, cripple walking, sickness healed. Those Five minutes or less is enough to get someone's heart stirred for the supernatural. Words are potent, even God is nothing without His words. Speaking of God, am not trying to sound religious it's like saying water should have a color (#deep).
Idea 5: Stay in His presence.
Fela Durutoye would always say his is not a speaker but just a loud speaker. Now if we truly follow this idea and write a piece, for years that piece will be ever green. Now I know many are wondering this is what we know naah, what's new here? Do you know your phone your are holding can do much more than ping and whatsapp?
Life is already too complicated thanks to man, we shouldn't join to complicate it even more with our word. You have heard people's piece that it's only the punchline at the end before he drops the mic you can remember or if it was a piece that had chorus chant, it's only the chant you can remember.
Human attention span is getting short by the day even MI is constant, so when you have it use it with precision. Hit the nail (or mase) on the head with your message delivered. I see you guys can't wait to have the stage. Everyone will have his/her opportunity to shine, prepare and wait your time will come. Now here is something I just penned down.
Her life was a story, Alive in heaven but living in hell, Tragedy to much to mention, Not even the cardinal could tell, Losing her innocence, In the firm brutal arms of uncle innocent, Who to mum and dad was a saint, But the scent of shirt stayed long with her as it mixed with her sweat as she fought her battle futile If that was the first, it would have been a mistake, But he continued like those people who devour national cake, none would believe her even if she try to tell, alive in heaven but living in hell, you can easily spot all 5 ideas. Did the write up minister to you?
If you were on stage how would you share this piece? To minister it to people (cool calm sober tone and the words will pierce like a knife). Like I will tell friends, inspite of the inflation and naira fall to dollar, the wages of sin is still death
So inspite of what you become in the industry, these are my basics I have shared with you tonight and please don't take it hook line and sinker, so guys the basis are the the basic. So we can take feedback now...
Now I must say this, never let money make you lose focus of your true calling, and always listen to your heart (the still small voice). Even though you scratch the card, always remember who gets the credit (GOD). I'll take questions now.
QUESTIONS:
Philosopher(Nigerian): What should I do if I'm writing from my heart and the crowd seems not to find pleasure in my books or write up..coz I've no fan?
Alex Osagie: Keep writing from your heart, your message is not for the fan but for the one. Just as Christ was sent to the lost sheep, you are writing for that lost one. Have you ever performed and you felt you messed up completely and one person, just one person comes to you at the end and said you spoke to me. Don't go for the fan, go for the one.- Osagie Alex
Ify(Nigerian): I love writing especially about love,I feel d words in my heart,it in my head but I don't know how to bring it out or put it together
Alex Osagie: Do you have a voice recorder on your phone? When the words come again, just record it and then later you can write and edit it out.
Karen(Kenyan): You've said we should write from our hearts, I agree,but then sometimes the heart can be deceiving,why can't we write from our heads,you know more room to thinking, (figuring things out).
Alex Osagie: If you write from the head it will get to people's head, if you write from the heart it will get to people's heart. Head or Heart, which is your target. Someone on my list is opening up her past that the story is about her. Our class example is bringing closure to another like fresh ripe apple. One more thing, if you notice there wasn't any notes.  I simply wrote from my heart. I practice what I teach and preach. Go and do like wise.
Now to me request before my time is up here. Please always keep me in your prayers. That's all. Thanks a lot for having me.
I pray you speak from your heart in 2016.
Thanks Paul, thanks Citadel of Life members, it was an honor and privilege to share.
If you want to connect with me. Follow@wisdomcounselin
You'll learn a lot from me. Don't miss this opportunity in 2016
©Copyright
#Hosted by Sunsampaul
04-01-16
10:17pm

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

TOP 50 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Some take it seriously. Some bid it farewell just after the clock strikes twelve. Some call it a Second Chance to Dream with Eyes Open. New Year Resolution — no one can deny having made some.


People change with time, so do their aspirations. Seriously taken, Happy New Year Resolution is an opportunity to gauge our goals. For the adventurous souls, it is the opportunity to tickle a funny bone or to try something bold.
123NewYear offers Fifty amazing New Year Resolution 2016 ideas. Some are simple, some are exotic – but each is unique in its own way – there is surely a one that would appeal to you!
  1. Look Where You Stand – Made loads of resolutions last New Year’s Eve? Accessed how far you have stood by them? If not, it is time you did!

  2. Accomplish the Incomplete – If you still feel that the resolutions you made last year and abandoned midway are worth a second shot, give it another chance!
  3. Realistic Resolutions – Instead of weaving dreams in the air, make a resolution that would have significance in and add a meaning to your life.

  4. Monitor Progress – Resolve this year to monitor how far you are holding on to your commitment – it will help you to hang on.


  5. Quit an Addiction – It will not take you anywhere good, trust us. If it does you no good, why stick to it? If needed, seek help of support groups or professionals. If you have the will, you shall find the way.

  6. Back to School – Learning has no age. Pick up where you left off.

  7. Fit in Fitness – Secure a future with fewer trips to the doctor – exercise. Select a regime you can stick to. A group activity may add the element of fun to the routine. Lose some flab. But don’t set any strict target, for then the chances are you may get de-motivated and quit.
  8. Soak up New Skills – Learning something new and interesting is always fun and a value addition too.

  9. Healthy Hogging – Think before you put any morsel in your mouth. Occasional indulgence should be there.

  10. Lose the Loan – Pay off any debt you may have and feel light at heart.

  11. Sack Stress – This sounds easier than it actually is, and there is no magic tip. You have to find your own haven.

  12. Contribute for a Cause – Giving back to the society is the least we can do to make the world a better place to live in.

  13. Treasure your Treasures – Splurge is fun, but saving should be the way of living. Plan with your future in mind. Relax the grip once in a while for that blissful indulgence. But should be just one or two annual affair.

  14. Liven up Your Lifestyle – Professional growth is okay, but your personal life requires attention too. Strike a balance.

  15. Organized – This is the key to make life easy, manage time and live stress free. Make a proper To-Do list, and you are half way there already.

New Year Resolutions
New Year Resolutions


  1. Fun With Family – Bonding with the family will add a treasure trove of memories for you to cherish all your life.

  2. Wowed By Wanderlust – If new places interest you, plan to reach out to them. You may consider including a fund for your trotting in your annual budget.

  3. Adopt a Pet – The devotion, love and loyalty of a pet can never be matched. Feel the bliss by giving one a home.

  4. Wreck a Record – This does not necessarily have to be a world record. It could be your own set standards — getting better grades in school, saving more than last year – anything.

  5. Relive your childhood – Bring back the simplicity in life – dance in the rain, jump in a puddle, lick a Popsicle – just be carefree.

  6. Spice up the Mundane – Bring some sizzle to your daily life. Plan a candlelight dinner. Bring some fresh flowers to your bedroom. This will make life seem more beautiful.

  7. Unleash the Angel in You – Nothing feels better than seeing a smile on someone. Do your bit to stand by people who need support. Every little help matters.

  8. Get Struck by Cupid – Falling in love is the most beautiful thing to happen in a New Year. And if you are rosy eyed enough, you could even ring the wedding bells.

  9. Snooze away to Slumber-Land – Catch up on the sleep you lost and see a beautiful glow back on you – bid farewell to those dark circles for good!

  10. Pep up your habitat – Beautifying where you live is the easiest way to beautify your life with a feel good factor.

  11. De-clutter the accumulated junk – Life will be more organized with the unnecessary extras gone — donate the unnecessary stuff to charity. If you want, organize a garage sale – the incoming cash may motivate you to de-clutter.

  12. Get a Gadget – Has there been a gadget you have been longing for? An expensive one? Save up to make it your own!

  13. Step up or Step Down Social Media Activity – If you have been out of touch with your pals and peers, social media would help you get back to the grove. But if your virtual life is affecting your personal life, it is time you remedied that.

  14. Tame the Mane – A brand new makeover will be a great way to discover a new you.

  15. From Vocation to Profession – When your hobby becomes your profession it not only brings in money but also makes working a fun experience.

  16. Positive approach to life – Vow to always view the glass to be half full. This will help you solve any obstacle you may face in life.

  17. Speak Your Mind – Chuck the niceties. It is mandatory to say No at times. However remember, politeness pays too. Judiciously decide according to situation.

  18. Get Pictured at the Wonders of the World – This is for the travel bugs. This would be an experience of a lifetime, but needs advanced planning.

  19. Learn Language – Language skills are always an added plus.

  20. Chuck the Couch – Whether we use a slang to call it being a Couch Potato or an ornamental term like Sedentary Lifestyle, if you belong to the category, you need to break out of the vicious cycle.

  21. Present to hand make tokens or cards with every gift – Add a personal touch to every gift with a handmade note card or a greeting card.

  22. Go for a Blind Date – For the adventurous souls, a blind date may be fun. But take care to consider the risk factors and take adequate precautions.

  23. Wake up to World News – Newspaper may seem boring, but not staying abreast with current affairs will make you a bore in a crowd. Stay informed.

  24. Groom Your Green Thumb – A patch of greenery is a solace in the concrete jungle we live in – well if a garden seems too much, even a few potted plants would liven up your living space.

  25. Patron the Prints – E-books and softcopies are all great and convenient, but nothing compares to the luxury of snuggling up with a nice read. Hit the library and feel it.

  26. Waste Not, Want Not – If there is something you don’t want – food, extra medicine, etc — hand it down to those who do.

  27. Terminate the Tantrums – Being opinionated is okay. But having your fuse blown off at the slightest pretext is not. Neither are mood swings. They make you out of bounds for friends even if they do not want that.

  28. Pep up your parents – Doing something nice for your parents will bring you guaranteed bliss – you are the best to know what will light up their face with a smile.

  29. Give up on a bad habit – Old habits die hard – some really need to – like, biting nails, biting your lips etc.

  30. Endear a Diary – Letter writing is a dead art. But expressing feelings is not. And nothing pleases a literary mind more than a few solitary moments with pen and paper. Pour your heart out in a diary.

  31. Remember the Important Dates – Remembering birthdays, anniversaries etc will make your loved ones feel special, wanted and cared for. If your memory doesn’t help, take the help of technology!

  32. Pamper yourself once in a while – You deserve it – do whatever your heart desires – but remember not to go overboard.

  33. Enrich your vocabulary – Communication is vital in any sphere of life – enrich your vocabulary to master the art of reaching out.

  34. Overcome a fear or mental block – This will make you feel liberated – it will free your mind of shackles.

  35. Be sincere about punctuality and commitments – This is a resolution, if followed, would help you succeed in life and be respected too.

CITADEL OF LIFE LECTURE #By Sunsampaul Venue: Citadel of Life@whatsapp.com



instrumentalist and a spoken word artiste.

Today I'll be talking on STYLISTIC TECHNIQUES IN WRITING

Before I proceed. What is writing?
Writing is the process of representing a language with symbols or letters.
Writing is the act of penning down what you are to say

Today we are going down the ocean of stylistic techniques in writing

Many people write but don't know the style they are writing or what
they are even writing .
All they could say is  'article is article'

Now let open the book of the word 'stylistic'

Stylistic is a pertaining to style, especially to linguistic or literary style

In literature we have three major genre. Which are:
Poetry
Prose
Drama

Now before you write you must know that stylistic techniques must not
be lacking. Which are :

 Allusion:
It is an author’s reference to a person, place, event, or piece of
literature which he expects his audience to recognize or understand.
Example:  In John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, the author assumes his
readers’ familiarity..pls try and read that book
You will see what I'm saying

You will find it in any good book shop

 Caricature:
I Sunsampaul will tell you that this is a representation of a
character in which, in literature, his or her characteristics are
exaggerated to produce a comic effect.  Example:  In Twain’s
Huckleberry Finn, the “Duke” is a caricature designed to satirize and
create humor.

 Consciousness, Stream of A style of writing:
This is a method in which the author uses interior monologue to show
how the mind works.  The unbroken fl ow of a character’s thoughts and
perceptions are revealed either directly (first-person narrative) or
indirectly through free-wheeling discourse.

 Modernism & Epiphany In literature:
These are sudden revelation that illuminates meaning or
understanding—an “aha” moment.

 Foreshadowing:
This is a hint of what is going to happen next.  Example:  In
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the speech by Friar Lawrence about the
mingling of good and evil foreshadows the coming entanglements.
This is a clear example of foreshadowing.

In Media Res:
This is a Latin expression that means that the story actually starts
in the middle of the action.  Example:  Since the Odyssey starts in
Media Res, with Odysseus imprisoned, an audience already familiar with
the character Odysseus can forego mention of his background and go to
the heart of the action.

Irony:
This is a literary device in which action or language stands in
contrast to what appears to be true or expected.  Example:  “Dr. Fujii
hardly had time to think that he was dying before he realized that he
was alive...”

Do you know there are several types of IRONY?
If you don't, just relax, today I will teach us the types of irony
we've in literature for we to know them vividly when writing any muses

 TYPES OF IRONY
1) Cosmic Irony:
This is a literary device that contrasts what a character attempts to
become and what.  actually happens, due to forces of the universe.

2) Dramatic Irony:
This is also called Tragic Irony, this occurs when what a character
says or believes contradicts what the audience knows to be true.  In
these circumstances, a character’s words and actions have one meaning
for the character and an entirely different meaning for the audience.

3) Situational Irony:
This is a literary device in which the expected action and the actual
action are in direct contrast, usually due to forces out of the
control of the characters.

4) Structural Irony:
 This occurs when a naïve protagonist holds a view or outlook that
differs from the one the author holds.  The reader will usually feel
intellectually superior to the protagonist, and empathy for the hero
often suffers.

5) Verbal Irony:
 This is a figure of speech in which a character says one thing but
actually means the opposite.  Sarcasm often falls into the
classification of verbal irony.

These are the types of irony we need most in life. Let move to the
other stylistic techniques in writing

Let's move on to other stylistic techniques in writing

 Melodrama:
This is a drama of any type that relies on stereotypes or two
dimensional characters whom the audience recognizes. An exaggeration
of emotions, behaviors, and events is often evident in a melodrama.
Example:  Melodramas often use a serialized story line, damsels in
distress, and characters who are clearly good or evil, as in the early
silent film “The Perils of Pauline”.

Pathos:
This is the manner in which a play or story’s action causes the
audience to feel pity for a character.  In drama, it occurs mainly in
tragedy, but can be found in comedy too

 Poetic Diction:
This is a manner of speaking or expression that is used mainly in
poetry and not in casual conversation.  Example:  William Wordsworth’s
poem, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early
Childhood,” provides a classic example of the elevated language of
some poetry.

Poetic License:
This is the privilege of a writer to take liberties with grammatical
rules and structure for desired poetic effects.  Example:  E.E
Cummings is a poet who has made the most of the freedoms of poetic
license

 Theme:
This is the overriding or dominant idea in a story that is a universal
statement about humanity.  The theme is the central meaning in a piece
of writing and the message that the author wishes the audience to
understand and take away.  Theme may be represented in an indirect
fashion, and differing devices may be used to hint at theme:  the
title, certain quotes, a repeated observation, a recurring motif can
make the reader discover the theme Example:  Justice, dignity, and
freedom can be themes of a certain poem or story. It depends on the
writers motif of writing that particular muse that can as well make
the reader to discover the theme of the muse

®All rights reserved
©Copyright
28-12-15
10:15pm
I'm Sunsampaul Egwu Philosopher a poet, Published writer, an

ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS(a poem by Decent Innocent)

The ocean was deep and huge
The wave so heavy and scary that crossing over flee my thought
But with my paddle and mini boat I hopefully paddled to this very last
moment despite the rocks and flood...

Moments when unemployment, failure, sickness, hate, poverty will be
BURIED for the RESURRECTION
prosperity

This moment when pagans worship in His sanctuary dancing shakiti and
shoki fulfilling all righteousness

Chie, moments when we say farewell to Christmas songs, disco light,
sounds of bangers and rockets stoned to the sky

Wow,moments when we sit behind Ejebu's Palm Wine and Ishi Ewu corner
running bottles of magic moment

Moments when we stroll with friends, relations or lover sharing
stories of the previous moment

Moments when we light up tyres, roll round the burning flames
screaming Happy New Year

Cheers! Cheers! Cheers friends
It's  just a river to cross
Congratulations!
The ocean then, It's now a river to cross over.

#DecentInnocentMySaint
#OneMoreRiverToCross
#YouMadeItToThisLastMoment
#ThanksToOluwa
#YouAloneIsWorthy
#ThankYouLord
#Citadeloflife
#Plsrebroadcast
of employment, success, health, love and