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