LAST SEEN...

Sitting at a crowded bar

Staring into the tumbler

You hold

Like all the secrets

Of the world

Swim in the spirit

Bubbling at the bottom

Your purpose

Was last seen

Struggling, barely alive

After a stampede

On a darkened

Dance floor

Lying on a satin bed

Staring up at her face

Distorted,

Her painted

Lips parted

Letting out

A foreign language –

A string of long vowels

Carried on a single breath

Then she calls your name

While you struggle

To remember hers

Your self-control

Was last seen

Comforting

The last heart

 You broke

Before a purple altar

Standing on the beach at dawn

Contemplating each wave

As if

It might just carry

Away the mismatched

Set of lies you

Stitched together

And hung

Round your frail frame

Like Joseph’s coat

Of many colours

Your honesty

Was last seen

Aboard a ship

Being carried off

Into the horizon

You see now.

Sitting on a low bench

Wondering what it was

That happened

That caused

The hunch

On your back

Forgetting that

Avarice took

Over your surname

The night you vowed

To care less about

The rest of us

Your contentment

Was last seen

Whistling

 In oblivion

Down the slick path

Into the shadows

It is all a wonder

To us who stay on

Watching

Observing

The transformation

That slowly ate

Away at you

And left you

Stuck

In the

Whirl

Of depression

Your eyes are blank

And you no longer feel

You do not wish to know

That

Your very self

Was last seen

Taking itself apart

At the junction

Where child

And adult

met

DISSONANT HARMONY

This headache

That runs down

To the back of my neck

Pleasure-pain…

From laughing too hard

These friends I have

Make me lose breath

Doubling over in laughter

Bless us!

It was when I went home

For the weekend

That I took note

Of Mama’s

Illness

Evident on her face

“The pain is just horrible”

She whispered and sneezed.

“Bless you!”

I met him when he first arrived

And loved him till he left

Now he returns

In skirts and heels;

Miss Rose with a snipped tip

I can only mourn a lost member

Bless it.

She’s charming;

My petite chocolate queen

 Feeds me as she dotes

Then prays with me

For me

“Are you ok?”

With both eyebrows raised

This rare show of love

Bless her

An evening’s chance-meet

And the heavens’

Tender glow

“I’m going to come sit with you”

Then things went up and things went down

Rollercoaster with no safety belts

The poet’s vertigo

And mine…

Bless him

Sleep never

Comes this way

My street has no name

The morning sounds

Meet me wide awake

The young mother

Getting a frustrated tod

Ready for school

She sings the alphabet

In discord

And her husband sweeps

The paved compound

Bless them.

Now I sit and wonder

Where this madness

Came from

But I stop trying

To understand

Cos

Lunacy detached

From the lunatic

Leaves nothing -

Madness is me

Just as I am Lord…

Bless me

YOU

You

Came in

And set

One

Demon free

Then

Two

You

You

Bloody

Blood

On my hands

I cannot pretend

It’s a safe house

Here where

I hide

But

You

Should have stayed away

From the locks

You

Should not have

You 

You

Played

With that box

I CANnot marry

Your jesting veins

With steel blades

And watch the

Beauty of art

Alive

And warm

Do a familiar

Dance

Down

The sickening canvas

Of

You

You

I CANnot

Visit

You

With

A kiss from the serpent

And watch

You

Shudder 

As

You

Drown

In the congealed

Life in

You

Or move

To the sounds

Of your last words

Stuck in a froth

Gurgling

You

You

I could only

Do

You

This

Holy evil

If

You

Existed

You

Bloody

Blood

On my hands

EN ROUTE

Stranded

In the mire

Of my confused

State,

I ran…

My legs caught up

With the wind

And hopped on its

Back

Sailing

To the very top

Breaking through

The conflagration

Of emotions

That rush

Up

To my neck

Burning…

Choking!

I escape the frenzy

Awakened

By my synesthetic

Senses

Telling me

To feel

Your lies

Smell 

Deceit

Touch

The hem

Of lost years

Telling me

To rip off

My skin

And stand

Bleeding

Before the world

I shrink away

From the tomorrows

I dreamt

As

You turned

Your back to me

In fevered pleas

To the gods

That be

A slip of courage

Was what you asked for

A barrel of

Guts

To break

An unsuspecting

Heart

MUSE-ic

The muse of song

Sat looking long

At the scenes

That played

From the 

Record

Of old memories

In my head

"it's about time,"

She whispered.

THREE STRIKES AND...

The boulder 

did whisper 

my name

Laying there

in the middle

Of a line

of footsteps

that lead

to the sun

I was carefully

Re-taking them

When

That stone

called me...

by name

Don't ask

why my knee

bleeds

Or why

i sit here

and weep

The boulder...

it spoke

and had me 

Almost

Floored

OFF A CLIFF

The voices that come and go

Push me there and back

Right to the very edge

Then back

Like a yoyo in the hands

Of my conscience

I hang on a thin thread

Every other minute

I'm undone

It is sweet huddled up

In this warm cocoon

Must the butterfly be born

Can it not stay a larvae?

I let love in 

I made it reign

Now it demands more

That I be brave

Nowhere to hide

It's broad daylight

No more shadows

For cover ups

Every filthy linen

Was washed, and dried

And I stand naked

Void of shame

To burst out

And blind mortal eyes

With colours never before seen

To remember 

That I too can fly

And leap

That...

Is the script.

But the world 

Is a large, gaping

Abyss of the known unknowns

.....

And I'm afraid to face it.

APPARITION

It was an almost

Broken-down door

That loomed,

Standing

Between me

And something..

Something…

I was not sure.

It stood,

Groaning

Against the weight 

Of the wind;

A door

Hanging loose

On its hinges

The damp earth

Had made a feast 

Of the red-wood

And 

The rot on the inside

Could be seen

In ghastly patches

On the outside

It stood,

Rattling

Against the force

Of an unruly wind

A door

Threatening to break

From its hinges

It stood,

 Strong

In its obvious fragility

And I 

Drew back -

Too scared

 To touch

A mightier wind

Rose

Hauling me against it,

And as

I fell through

…Stunned that 

The door still stood

I wondered…

If

The door was

The apparition

….

Or

I was.

ART ON THE ARTIST

It

Kept asking and asking

For

Some kind of passion

To

Ripple through it

In

Heated, forceful waves,

O

My perfectly importunate heart!

In a coy, meandering dance

This

Flowing lava of my soul

Seeps in 

Then out

 Onto everything

I

Touch

It 

Tells me: 

“Cry out if you must,

Lie here in 

Silence

 If you can,

But 

Let me 

Break you

Along with 

This antique box of

Colours

Let me 

Paint your world

In gaiety”

I cannot refuse

What engulfs me

So

I am unable to resist

This sweet assault

To my soul

The grand master

Of art

Works on the artist’s heart

And the art of the artist

Is now soaked in 

Blood 

O blessed importunity!

NOT A SINGLE TEAR

I heard that life

Beyond this place

Is a constant celebration:

Reunions

By the second,

Hugs sent round,

Memories shared.

I know you'll wait

For me

So we walk

In gardens of flowers

Never before seen

So we talk,

So we catch up.

But

What do I tell you

When we meet?

How the world got darker?

How passions grew stronger?

How new things

Quickly

Became

Old?

Or 

How I 

Never

Mourned 

You?

EXHIBITION

A time when love

Must prove you

Productive

Strong

Worthy

To be pruned

The scissors

Snaps,

Its sharp steel

Blade

Slicing away

At the overgrowths

A lone tree now stands

Rounded to perfection

Bold green leaves

Firmly rooted

And specked

With

Ripen fruit

 That time when fire

Must prove you

Precious

Tolerant

Able

To endure

The flames

Rage,

Fiery tongues

Laving flesh off

To reveal

The hidden gem

A refined metal

Now lies

Nestled

In glory

Glowing

Bright

And beautiful

The time when ice

Must prove you

A possession

Treasured

Worth

The keeping

Cold vapour

Rises

Its fangs

Slowing the heart

Numbing

Yet preserving

The truss of grapes

Now is presented

After days

With juice still

Fresh

And fruit

In good shape

The time when the world

Must prove you

A misfit

Unwanted

Rejected

Denied

The jests

Increase

Their Spite

Grow

Tears

Freely flow

Seeming sad

Yet infinitely

Refreshing

The new creature

Now takes flight

Into light

Reveling

In warmth

That radiates

From within

Making her shine

When the fair

Starts

Tree,

Gem,

Fruit,

New being

Will be laid

On pedestals

Lifted high

Above

The rest

STEPS

Looking

Down

At my foot

Move up 

Then out

Letting

Joy in

As it lands

On

Fine earth

The move...

First

Of 

Many.

Soon

Old diaries

Will begin 

To collect

Dust

Which

Will be blown 

Off

When the child

Of a child

Gets to 

That faintly familiar 

Point

That was muse of those

Forgotten volumes

Only then

Will they

Be taken down

And read

After 

Three

Long

Nights

The sun 

Is risen

And 

Shadows

Become visible

But 

The immortal tongue

Of the wise

Guides

They say

Do not 

Regard

The shadows

Do not

Fear them

Oh how sad

The sun

Must be

To see

You tremble 

Before these

Knowing it

Was it 

That exposed 

Them all

If you'd  fear 

The snake,

Then 

You must fear

The snake charmer 

Even more

WONDROUS TALE

Can I stand 

Before you 

Right here

And sing

A solemn solo

Of one who

Found me

On a dark alley

All alone

Cold

 And dying

One 

Moonless

 Night?

Can I cry 

Refreshing 

Tears

As I tell 

Of the deep

Dark

Wild

Of terrors

Bloodthirsty 

Night creatures;

Present

At a gothic dance

Of horror

And I

Helplessly

Tossed

About

Like 

A rag doll…

Almost…

Almost…

Dead

Can I lay in joy now

And just breathe?

I cannot

I do not

Recognize me

Truly 

This must 

Be 

New

I smile 

At the stranger

In the mirror

And reach out

Wanting to 

Touch

The glow

In that smile

Is it

Could it

Be

It is

It sure is

Me?

Can I 

Whisper it

Speak it

Scream it

Write endlessly 

Of it

Can I….

Can I say it!

It is a 

Warm

Golden

Enveloping

Sort of

Feeling

That rose 

With the sun

And 

Spelt out

A new name 

For me

In the scroll 

Of the skies

Do you see

The 

Jubilation

I see

When I look up?

Do you feel

The peace that 

Settles

On my spirit

Like mist?

Do you just know

Deep down

Like I do

That it is well?

From now

Till the end

Of time

Do you hear it?

The sound

Of cherubs’ wings

Flutter?

Oh Can I…

Can I

 Tell you

This wondrous tale?

THIS SEASON

Seeing the half-naked 

Kids

Dance-walking 

Down the street

To the kiosk

 In that corner

To buy try-your-luck 

Balloons

With their faces 

White from 

Their morning baths

Is what this season is about

Catching the boys 

Toss knock-outs

Under Grandpa’s 

Old rickety car

At dusk

With their mismatched

Slippers and 

Oversized shirts balled up in the back

While they run for cover

Not knowing

Grandpa has seen them all

Is what this season is about

Turning on the TV

And hearing 

A local choir

Sing Hallelujah Chorus

In discord

Dressed in old robes

Yet smiling through

Their almost 

Sorry performance

And so you care not 

That they

Sing it wrong

Because their aged faces 

Are so jolly

Is what this season is about

The ringing out

Of Afehyia Pa

And the cheerful

Hope-filled

Afe-nkɔ-mmɛto-yɛn-biom

We hear all around us

Though the year

Had not been

One long sweet dream

Is what this season is about

So it is when we march up to 

Where one road ends

And another

Unknown path

Begins

That we, 

As one people

Stand and wait

Eager for the new

Saying in our hearts

May it be good

It is what this season’s about

SCARLET JOY

She cannot

Remember

What

It does

Not feel like,

This cancer

That eats at her

Stiff-necked,

Half-deaf

She pens

Words

That

Lie

Limp

On

A

Greying

Page

They come

In spasms

Like the

Throbbing

Of her sunken

Veins

They break

Her spirit

Cold

Tears

Betray

Her resolve

Death racks

The body

Of the

Poet

Death,

Her uncanny muse

Sprawled

Before the altar

She prays

Lead her

To the heart

Of Pilate's

Court,

Silent listener

Lead her

To

Scarlet Joy

THEY SAY...

The day came 

And ended

And I did not see it

Time stole 

Its way past me

While I dozed

Under fluorescent lights

They say a shadow 

Will cross 

My bed

And snuff out

My breath

While I lay here

Shivering

They say fear 

Will come 

Speeding 

Behind it

Circle my neck,

And wrench 

Sorry sobs

Out from 

My insides

They say it's horrid

When it lasts

That I should pray

It acts fast

That when everything

Starts going cold

I should just smile

And let go

They say that's so 

I'll look pretty

When I'm laid in state

That's when I knew

What it was

They were talking

About

The day came

And ended

And I did not see it

Neither did I see 

Death.

As they described

It

I guess

I'm going to be laid in state

With a look of surprise 

On my face

COMMUNAL HEART

Heartless, 

She starts

Her journey

Creating a heart

For herself

With pieces

From each soul

She encounters

She passes,

Leaving broken things 

Behind her

In frantic search

For another piece

To attach to 

A growing heartbeat

A little piece of sadness

A little piece of joy

A little piece of every being

That crossed her unlevelled path

She moves on

Leaving torn things

Behind her

Fearing to look back

At the bloody mess

She labours on

The warm treasure

Pulsing in her arms

A little piece of madness

A little piece of sanity

A little piece of every man

That stopped to ask her name

Soon she has 

A heart of her own

Woven from lives

That touched her soul

Fitting it,

Her chest feels warm

Loving its

Strange occupant

Making it feel at home

But she had been left

All alone

For all those who

Ever mattered

Were just pieces

Of her heart.

MUST WE...

Must we  struggle 

So much to reach a core

Must we wrench our hearts

Out in search of love

Must we bleed 

In rivulets

Down dirt-stained

Faces onto heavy chests

Must we lose this much

Moisture through sweat

And tears

Must we lie here 

Kicking our lean legs

In the stale air

Must we languish 

In waves of horror

Crashing against the rocks 

That line a filthy shore

Must we labour to catch 

A toxic breath

And swallow groans

While letting out

Tiny pockets of

Gas through clenched teeth

Must we, O dear God 

Must we suffer so?

ROUGE DISTRACTION

The apple

Sits atop an old book

 - its yellowed leaves 

Coated with decades of dust

The deep rouge of the fruit

Gives it a classic look 

of perfection

It sits there

Beckoning.

Mirror-surfaced

Red beauty

Looks ready to burst-

Taut with sweetness

Strange hunger draws me

To that scene

I sit

And stare

The seconds pass

A sigh escapes

Reaching out

For the food in sight

I eagerly devour it

Slowly

As the hunger leaves

The apple sits

And stares

HULA-HOOPER

Rings of different colours

Twirl round a tiny body

All in sync

At top speed in

A crazy harmony

The body moves

To guide the hoops

As they dance,

 Circling her frame

The audience applaud

And

Roses are thrown

At the performer's feet

An effortless stunt

They thought they'd seen

A graceful, exciting stunt

But life was her

And the rings her strife

And they all went 

Twirling - crazed.

Her world 

Was a stage

The people

An  audience

And she, 

A hula-hooper

SOME SWEET SOMETHING

Something rises 

From the dust

Wafts into hearts

Mending tears

And sealing cracks

Something emerges

From the ash

Wanders into dreams

Rewriting memories

And wiping off soot

Something opens up 

And pours pure joy 

Upon tired souls

Turning hearts

To doves

The stone 

To wool

Something comes down 

And breathes fresh dew 

Into dry mouths

Splaying rose petals

At our calloused feet

Something

Touches us

Some sweet something 

Raises us

That calm something

Sits with us

And gently whispers

"Peace"

It is that something....

That something...

That keeps me.

SILENCED

Sitting here

In deep thought,

The gentle breeze

Carries a tune

My whole life 

Was sang

In that song

While

Nostalgic tears 

Stung my eyes

I ventured out

Into the sun

And looked up 

Into the sky

With 

Trembling hands,

My tongue 

Stretched out,

I sliced 

That tiny member 

Off

Out with you 

You unbridled thing

Out with you

Now

You have made 

This song

A bitter tune

And made 

This wind

A pain

SHIPWRECK

Raging storm,

Howling sea

The ship is left

Unguarded

The winds hit 

Its bruised sides,

Dangerously 

Tilting

This way,

 And that

It dips 

And rises

Creaks 

And groans,

It hits 

Against

The ocean rocks

The rudder 

Has got

Its moment 

Of glory

Going wild 

With

No captain 

As a guide

The ship 

Will break

Into a thousand

Pieces

Scattered 

In the heart

Of the sea

All will be lost

In the vast 

Deep blue

…

The vessel,

Along

With the rudder.

SANITY HER BANE

Lost
 In a hazy valley,

The poet

Stumbles 

And falls

A familiar abyss

Beckons her

Where 

Some strange love

Was felt

Yet curious much

She yearns to know

What the light 

Has got in store

The possibility 

Of never finding 

Herself

And the waiting

Weakens her`

See, 

The poet is dying

Word after word

Palsied

For days on end

It is her undoing

This quiet she feels

The dam

Stands undisturbed

O break now,

Precious dam

Break now,

And fill this valley up

The poet 

Has lost her

Insanity

And normalcy

Devours her

She's

Stranded

In a daunting

Centre

Longing 

For 

A chance

To breathe.

MEA CULPA

Settling down 

Long enough 

To note 

My fear

Paying close attention, 

I hear

Dark voices 

Snicker in my head,

Knowing 

I will soon snap

And murder them

In cold blood

Their shrieks echo

A forewarning...

"Many more voices to be born."

A chant I get high on.

O this darkness...

Mea Culpa!

In the cradle 

Lies pain

Wrapped up 

Delicately

Comfortable in its sleep

I dread its waking

Yet I nurse it

Rocking

That daunting cradle

Back 

And forth

It creaks loudly

Taunting me;

"I wouldn't be sleeping for long.

Conscious 

Of my unconscious 

Anticipation

Of its waking

O this sweet agony...

Mea Culpa!

Before this canvas

I stand

Painting

A self portrait

Hours of brush-dipping

Colour dripping

Strokes 

And 

Strokes

And it's done

A canvas

Painted

Dark

Red

Its boldness mirroring me

"This is you, inside-out"

O this torturous vision...

Mea  Maxima Culpa!

Note: Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that translates into English as "through my fault". It is repeated three times in the prayer of confession at the Catholic Mass: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa — "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault".