RUSH HOUR 5 - UNTAMED BEAR

An Ukrainian Song II

The twelfth commandment:

War is peace and peace is war,

That leaves us asking: what is love?

Innocent folks in the hospice,

With one voice, we cry: stop please!

I heard dialogue was the tool of civility,

Take us back to the age of hostilities,

With a candle set off a mushroom—

Events developing like a dark room.

Lap it up like a pumpkin,

The story of Humpty Dumpty,

I hope you get what you deserve,

Come raining up and storming down!

Perhaps, right, but now you're wrong,

Open your eyes, you're no longer young,

Perhaps, you want to history belong?

To remember your might as strong?

Warn the world, untamed bear,

Your artillery wide and broad,

Your calvary sharp and blunt,

Here on earth, playing god,

Permission to speak, my lord?

Your final words facing God...

Tokede Opeyemi,

24th February, 2022.

TEN DAYS AFTER VALENTINE

 (An Ukrainian Song)

So, I heard about old Vladimir Putin,

What in his drink did someone put in?

He dropped some good bombs on old Ukraine,

He's giving the whole world migraine.

Thought we were past this stage again,

But history repeats herself again,

Not over until the fattie sings,

Chaos to the world the big man brings,

When shall we find reprieve?

The fattie sings

Like a grumpy old man,

We thought age was wise,

And white hairs sage:

But this one is in rage,

A world he wants to save,

And some people subjugate.

We saw the clouds in Kyiv,

Crisis in Dynamo,

Take the world to Guantanamo,

Danke, Thanks, Arigato—

This is not make-believe,

When shall we find reprieve?

What is wrong within Ukraine?

Is a wise man mad,

Or is this the new fad?

All eyes upon Russia,

Ladies and gentlemen,

This is Rush Hour.

©Tokede Opeyemi,

Lagos State University,

24th of February, 2022.

IKUFORIJI

 (Death Forgave Him)

The story of a man who killed himself,

Because he saw the flames of hell on earth;

In pain and so badly hurt,

He decided to end it there.

The wise will learn,

But fools will die:

Pain ends,

Do well to remember.

No matter how bad in life you have it,

No matter how bad you want to die,

Don't even think to try it,

Never try to take your life.

You were created without your consent,

You were born without your knowledge,

Do you think it was all nonsense?

How dare you leave your Sunset?

He took his life and went to heaven,

But in heaven was sent to hell—

How dare you take your life?

Now, pay the price of your acts!

Thus, he broke down and cried,

O! I don't want to die!

His choice, he regretted,

Alas, Heaven relented..

Now, he was again asked in the afterlife:

Decide again for your life—

Down to hell or your former life?

And he was restored back to life.

For he regretted the choice of his acts,

And Death forgave him of the price..

Do well to remember,

Your choice may not be kind..

The wise will learn,

But fools will die:

Pain ends,

Do well to remember.

For he regretted the choice of his acts,

And Heaven forgave him of his crime:

But for others,

The choice may not be kind..

So, let's see each other and keep trading hugs,

Relating together with nothing but warmth;

So, let's see each other and keep trading hugs,

Relating together with nothing but warmth..

Tokede Opeyemi Iyanuoluwa,

22/02/2022.

THE STORY A PROFESSOR TOLD ME

A story my professor told me,

A new way of life, it showed me;

Those who are wise will hold this,

For every man needs to know this.

And so he said to me:

A man came to him in need,

Sir, I need your help to feed:

My dear sir, please...

But this wasn't the first,

And surely won't be last,

Professor thought to himself:

We can't keep doing this.

And, so, Professor said to him:

I, as well, I am in need,

You see, my car, I need to clean,

And you, you need to feed,

Can we consider it a deal?

And the man thought it wise a thing.

Indeed, it was wise a thing;

To be paid as much as kings—

Where do you find such a thing?

Wise, if you know what that means!

As the man washed Professor's car,

Some also needed to clean theirs,

So the man washed their cars,

And also cleaned his scars,

For a beggar's soul is scarred.

Now, he doesn't need to beg;

The wise will learn a lesson,

In a story filled with lessons.

A word is enough for the wise,

Or for those who want to be wise..

Tokede Opeyemi Iyanuoluwa,

Lagos State University.

HOLY BEAST

Another Song of Love

When I spoke with her, it was all love,

She told me about the time you were young;

How you saw the angels when she was in song,

How you were destined to one day rule our world.

For sure, she was disappointed,

Indeed, as her actions pointed:

But your best was all she wanted,

And the past keeps us haunted.

But you are a priest, a beast, yes, you are anointed!

From before you came of age were you appointed:

And the gates of hell fought and assaulted,

And divine plans they held accosted.

But there's a breaking forth, there's an announcement!

The Divine Mandate indeed supports it!

Lift up your heads, O ye gates,

And the gates of hell shall not prevail;

Lift up your heads, O ye doors,

And the doors of hell shall not prevail.

But when I spoke with her it was all love,

Even though I saw how much she hurt;

She spoke about the time when you were young,

How you saw the angels when she sung,

How you are destined to one day rule our world..

© el-iyanu

Love hurts, sometimes, those who care can hit a lot of nerves. But it's all in love, not of hate. To all out there feeling dismayed. God's blessings upon who allowed the story be shared.

MESSAGE OF THE WIND

A Song of Love

(Based on Real Events)

I will cross the oceans for you,

She said to him:

Because you make me better, you do.

Take my message to him, O Wind,

That's all I need your help to do.

How can I refuse? Said the wind:

I will cross the oceans for you,

This one will I do, for you.

I will cross the oceans for you,

If that's what you need me to..

© el-iyanu

14/2/22

In honour of two dear friends, and all who honour the purity and sacredness of love, and all unashamed to say their truths.

NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST

Not all who wander are lost:

Some obey because they trust,

Not all who wander are lost,

Not all who wander are lost.

I saw these words on a book,

Its pages I thought to look,

Alas, it was an empty book,

But its title was a flowing brook.

Not all who wander are lost:

Some obey because they trust,

Not all who wander are lost,

Not all who wander are lost.

Some walk in circles to clear their mind,

Some take a stroll out' their empty life,

Some prefer the desert to a nagging spouse,

Some, some pearls they hope to find.

Not all who wander are lost:

Some obey because they trust,

Not all who wander are lost,

Not all who wander are lost.

Abraham of faith, he was a wanderer,

He relied on God, he was a truster,

Not knowing destination, he wandered,

But wasn't lost, no, wasn't flustered.

Not all who wander are lost,

Not all who wander are lost,

Some obey because they trust,

Not all who wander are lost.

It was a crime to see that empty book,

With words to fill many books:

Not all who wander are lost,

It calls to me, I must!

Not all who wander are lost,

Some obey because they trust,

Not all who wander are lost,

Not all who wander are lost...

© el-iyanu

I saw the title Not All Who Wander Are Lost on a little hand-made booklet during creative writing and publishing class, but no words were in it. I thought it was a travesty that such beautiful words had nothing in it, but the title stayed with me. I went home, and here's the result.

Tokede Opeyemi Iyanuoluwa,

Lagos State University.