by Aluta Nite
DEAF EARS, BLOCKED MINDS
Deaths in one incident don’t
deter others from happening.
Driven by thoughts of scarcity,
an oil tanker rolling over
and spilling petroleum,
means scooting to scoop
as much as possible,
before authorities arrive
to stop foreseeable danger or
rescue those writhing in pain.
The media tells stories often
and others who care caution
at opportune time at any podium,
but ears refuse to take in advice
as minds aren’t ready to digest talks
or previous eventualities.
And they rant that
those talking know not
their desperation for survival,
and won’t give them daily bread
and so brush warnings aside.
Free things come at a price
and they know it,
but the temptation is too great
to just let go what would
relieve toiling temporarily
without a care for consequences
that would stop cravings for good.
Yes, we know that
birth is sheer luck
while death is guaranteed,
but why throw it away
when your mission is not yet!
UN-NURTURING
Let free spirits be
Untainted as was intended.
Witnessing a baby smoking
Is a devilish act
That makes minds faint.
Why, father why,
Allow such heinous acts
In your home!
Encountering a baby drunk
Is an evil act
That puts hearts to shame.
Why, mother, why
Allow such heinous acts
In your domain!
Real parents, guardians
Involve not their babies
In such pollutants.
Screens show two year oldies
Intoxicating in tar and liquor
In broad daylight!
Where will salvation come from
If those trusted with nurturing,
Turn into abusers!
We can only blink back tears
As we silently shout ‘stop it’,
Yet they hi-five the deeds as okay.
What world are we dwelling in!
NETHERLANDS
Land of the Dutch stands imposingly
Like, an impossible mountain to conquer.
Geography has taught a lot about the Dutch;
Their daring experimenting and pioneering.
The world would never have known dykes
Had it not been for the Dutch.
The world would never have known dams
Had it not been for the Dutch.
The world would never have known windmills
Had it not been for the Dutch.
Now when the world struggles to create
Clean and efficient energy,
The Dutch enjoy their old age science.
Holland’s history could not let her sleep
While there was need to research and invent.
From where could she have got more land,
Yet colonies had to be freed and let go!
Holland’s exploration to the east, west and south
Is well documented:
Dutch is spoken in Indonesia
So does Aruba,
So does Surinam
And so does Azania.
The Dutch are well known for their farming
In dairy, poultry and exportation.
The Dutch are known to love flowers
And import them from growers
Of other parts of the world.
The Dutch speak Dutch but
There’s room for English.
The Dutch are jolly people,
The Dutch are friendly people.
The times I’ve passed through Schiphol,
Amsterdam has always beckoned,
And if Amsterdam beckons
Holland welcomes.
Watching Netherlands’ documentaries,
And air viewing Netherlands
Is breathtaking.
And dreams remain in my mind
For the land of reclamation;
Netherlands I adore you.
AIRPORT DRAMAS
Traveling, was no option
Though it brought heartache and misery.
A project awaiting accomplishment
Had to be followed to the end,
Yet the journeys were sickening
Most of the time.
Overbooking created abnormalities.
Standby ticketing complicated matters
And fairness was not practiced
As the sweet talkers got the upper hand
And networking paid handsomely
While the lowly were left to suffer.
At times, it was so bad
To the extent of spending whole days
Or days and nights waiting
And eventually sleeping while sitting
On uncomfortable chairs over night;
Not forgetting how chilly airports can be.
The result was disorientation and fever
For days on end
And the ordeals had to be repeated
Over and over for years
Till the project was completed.
I MAY BE WHATEVER
I may be poor outside
But I am rich inside.
I may be thick academically
But I am good with my hands.
I may be classified stupid looking
But looks do cheat.
I may be unable to make a speech
But I have good ideas.
I may be the ordinary Joe next door
But I am flourishing elsewhere.
DANGEROUS PRIDE
A little pride does no harm
If used to show preferences
In taste and so on.
Madam Allay had big pride
For no one was better than her
Or as good as her.
It went to her head and
She openly talked about it
While upsetting many and
Embarrassing others.
It became an obsession
And a serious one too.
Maybe it needed therapy
For it was a song from morn to eve
Every single waking day.
With time, it became bad competition
Because so and so did something better
She had to try and put them down
By surpassing their deed
Whether she had the means or not.
She borrowed or put her offspring under
Pressure to cough the unnecessary dough.
It was like a disease that had no cure
As her mind revolved around materiality
And unachievable desires.
Other people’s offspring
Arriving from towns and cities who
Passed by to say hello, were bait and asked
For something, like she was starving
Just to further her course.
Looking at people straight became impossible
As her heart turned mean and evil
And only stolen looks from the corner
Of the eyes, prevailed.
It became scary.
LACK OF SELF CONTROL
Self-control lacking,
There were no boundaries.
She slept anywhere and with any mate.
It was not because of money,
It was a mere bodily weakness.
Her body got battered like an old disused tin
And she went home almost not breathing
For how many chums took part
Will never be known,
Maybe,
it’s only her who knows.
She recovered and was off again
To another escapade.
It was the rhythm of her life.
Those were school days
And many school hours were lost.
After poor graduation, the issue continued.
In marriage, that life never stopped.
No one truly knew the dads of her kids
For the pals were legion and
She didn’t have to know them well.
She had a younger sibling bro,
Who followed unto her footsteps
Except, he loved automobiles
And hooked female car owners
Who let him drive their cars.
Female car owners adored him,
For he was young and handsome
And he changed them like shirts.
But, due to his perennial absences
His nuclear family suffered greatly.
In the end, he got his match,
The virus that put him down
And surely, finished the job;
But, his sis, was left going strong
Like she had strange immunity.
GOING WITH IT
How long you go with the sway
Depends on how quickly the going
Takes you to trouble, danger or death.
Going with the sway is not a fashion,
It’s a time bomb waiting to explode.
There could be unity in numbers
And strength in crowds,
But hurting is individual.
Drugs and alcohol injure a person,
But destroy families.
Mob action injures, kills several, scores
While stampede maims, kills many,
But guilty conscious is in a person.
If arrested in-group swoops,
Answering to law is to self
And burden of proof is to self.
SAYING NEVER
If not meant as you say never
Then never use the word never
Because it makes no sense
When you keep swallowing your words
And going back to the swearing you did.
Mean it, when you negate statements
Otherwise you are a reflection of a man
With no stand or a child that can’t decide.
The future never means you won’t be
Part of whatever is at stake today.
Madame Le Blanc learnt the hard way
That not meaning the future never
Makes one idiotic, lacking firmness,
A laughing stork, not taken seriously,
Unreliable and untrustworthy.
She says never and never turns back.
At first they thought she was joking,
But with passage of time,
They realized it was possible to stick to never.
She became a symbol of defiance.
But they respect her
For she has a stand and mind of her own,
That cannot be pierced with nonsense.
She depends not on them to move on
Or carry out her desires and wishes.
LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER
Michaela was a wreck
and Neta chose to follow suit,
a chip off the old block.
Michaela did it all:
she smoked and drunk;
she welcomed all and sundry.
She reached anywhere anytime
and was never in a hurry to depart.
Her children knew it and covered her trails.
Her poor old hubby was helpless and
coiled himself like a worm in its cocoon.
She did what she wanted
and he could do nothing to stop her
insatiable thirst for booster shots.
Her perfume was known from afar
and before long, she was seen coming.
Her walk was never rushed as
she swaggered like a duck in its territory.
She knew all in details
for that was her way of selection.
Her food was of choice
and she did anything to get it.
If the dish in the pot wasn’t of her taste,
she slipped off like a shadow
and returned with a roast
from her buddies at the tavern.
She was never seen unkempt
for her market was everywhere.
She robed in vogue and talked class
despite her humble background.
Some gentry hid on spotting her
for they didn't want embarrassment.
Neta, her first child, copied the traits to the dot
And listened to her mentor and did as dictated.
Neta changed matrimony in search of a better life
while Michaela staged a home with her father.
Neta worshiped materiality like her teacher
and followed it wherever she thought she would get it.
Someone’s hubby or fiancee was not spared
for her mind never understood why.
Mom and daughter nurtured a few kids
that came not from men in their matrimonies
and the kids fathers were well known to all
as looks don’t cheat.
Shame had no room in the wants and desires
for the here and now mattered more.
Sweating for wants and desires wasn’t a priority
for willing chaps provided them at any cost.
Insults to their offspring didn't matter
for material satisfaction was being taken care of.
Many women cried foul, for the acts
were intrusive to their homes; and, at times,
both carried on the muck with same guys,
yet there was no shuddering still.
Finally, checking out came to both,
in pretty awkward ways.
CRUELTY IN THE BOTTLE
Zena went to the pub as usual,
But her buddies weren't there.
And other admirers had the ground.
She drunk their beer,
But she wouldn't reciprocate
And they did the unthinkable later.
Next time her buddies didn't turn up
They dragged her to unfamiliar destination
And tore into her in turns.
When done with her,
They inserted two ale bottles into her
And left; leaving her gagged and in pain.
That was their way of getting even,
Yet she had a right of choice.
To what extent can cruelty go!
She wallowed in pain in the bush till morn
When passersby noticed, went to her aid
And took her to the human garage.
She underwent surgery and
Recuperation took time and pain.
But, she resumed drinking all the same.
GIFT OF EXPERIENCE
Going down memory lane
thro’ astounding experiences
is no match to material gifts or rewards.
The latter fade, die and lose value
because of their nature.
Unforgettable experiences are forever
for they can’t be touched
nor value placed on them.
They're imbedded in the mind, heart and soul.
It’s only death that separates one from them.
RAISING NORMA
Born an independent mind
She knew right and wrong from an early age.
Norma said not yes quickly,
for she pondered issues before responding.
Her Mum was unable to make her do things
she was uncomfortable with or would regret later.
At times, she read people’s minds before they spoke
and when they did, she knew the right thing to say.
She was considered obstinate
and
sometimes a coward,
but that was not so.
Both were defense mechanisms for what she disliked.
Children were to be seen and not heard,
but not Norma, the headstrong.
Orders were in order if they made sense
Otherwise they weren’t for her.
When paraphernalia was laid out for all
to participate in the dark life of wild beliefs,
Norma was nowhere with the rest.
She stood aloof and said “Count me out”.
She hid somewhere and peeped at the stupidity
as they drank concoctions, got cut and
rubbed with stuff by the queer looking old
men or women invited to handle mysteries.
Norma rejected moves they wanted made
or carry gadgets they dished out for protection.
She objected to treatment by them when sick
for she wasn’t induct-able into that world.
Norma walked out and away forever
for she couldn't adopt her Mum’s ways
that drained the family and yielded nothing,
yet her Mum couldn't see her own foolishness.
PUSHING TOO HARD HURTS
It’s fulfilling to have an aim,
It’s great to achieve a target,
It’s satisfying to finish a task,