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Roving Mind

Page 5

by Aluta Nite

Marina, Marina, Marina

  It’s your Golden Jubilee;

  This’s great. This’s huge.

  You’re not old,

  You’re simply growing

  For age is but a number.

  Face life and the world

  As if it’s your Silver Jubilee

  And no frowning please.

  Menopause isn’t a disease,

  It’s just like menses;

  Embrace it and make it a partner.

  Let it not put you down

  For Marina isn’t a coward;

  Ride it as if it’s surfing.

  And we say, fare thee well;

  Live long, and enjoy, Marina;

  We wish you the very best.

  DEATH HAS NO MERCY

  There’s no point weeping, wailing or moaning

  For the grave, body and shroud are ready.

  Those weeping, wailing or moaning are wasting

  Energy, for death is cruelly certain.

  Girls and boys came very early,

  Men and women came very early,

  Friends and neighbors came very early,

  And everybody else is here

  For death has no mercy

  The sun surely beckons us to act;

  To face reality and do the job at hand

  For tomorrow will be a different day,

  But we’ll not forget him.

  Girls and boys came very early,

  Men and women came very early,

  Friends and neighbors came very early,

  And everybody else is here

  For death has no mercy

  He was one of us and he lived by example.

  He was a mentor while helping many others

  And that’s why it’s so hard to say-

  ‘Till, we meet again.’

  Girls and boys came very early,

  Men and women came very early,

  Friends and neighbors came very early,

  And everybody else is here

  For death has no mercy

  BELOVED TEACHER

  This place was for girls' schooling;

  He turned it into an educational center

  To cater for the youth and adults,

  A variety of disciplines,

  And people from all walks of life.

  There’s girls’ boarding middle school

  And girls’ boarding high school;

  Coed day middle school

  And coed day elementary school.

  All the time he was here,

  He was our beloved teacher

  And we’ll forever remember him,

  The son of enlightenment,

  For what he did for us.

  There’s day care center

  And kindergarten;

  Teacher training college

  And adult education wing;

  Women development program and

  Shopping center, market and gas station.

  All sorts of languages are spoken here

  For he opened the gates

  To all, from far and near.

  All the time he was here,

  He was our beloved teacher

  And we’ll forever remember him,

  The son of enlightenment,

  For what he did for us.

  FAREWELL

  Joey, bye, bye

  Garry, bye, bye

  Carey, bye, bye

  Mickey, bye, bye.

  Tomorrow morning

  Tomorrow morning

  Tomorrow morning

  We shall bid you farewell.

  Larry, bye, bye

  Kenny, bye, bye

  Harry, bye, bye

  Nicky, bye, bye.

  Tomorrow morning

  Tomorrow morning

  Tomorrow morning

  We shall bid you farewell.

  Farewells are easier in the morning

  To set us free to face the day

  For night ones are harder to handle.

  Tomorrow morning

  Tomorrow morning

  Tomorrow morning

  We shall bid you farewell.

  EMPTINESS AND GLOOM

  Rosy is no longer here,

  Jeanette is no longer here,

  Corry is no longer here,

  Penny is no longer here.

  Wedlock has taken them all.

  Our commune is empty

  Our village is gloomy

  Our locale is empty

  Our surround is gloomy

  Our environ is empty

  Our area is gloomy.

  Marie is no longer here,

  Terry is no longer here,

  Zara is no longer here,

  Donna is no longer here.

  Wedlock has taken them all.

  Our commune is empty

  Our village is gloomy

  Our locale is empty

  Our surround is gloomy

  Our environ is empty

  Our area is gloomy.

  They can’t be replaced for

  The young ones are still too young

  And their growth can’t be enhanced.

  Some life has to stand still or slow down

  For incoming ones aren’t promised.

  Our commune is empty

  Our village is gloomy

  Our locale is empty

  Our surround is gloomy

  Our environ is empty

  Our area is gloomy.

  THE TAILING CLASS

  Freshmen are coming,

  Freshmen are coming,

  Oh yea, freshmen are;

  Freshmen are coming,

  Freshmen are coming,

  Oh yea, freshmen are.

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming,

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming.

  The tailing class,

  The tailing class,

  Oh yea, tailing class;

  The tailing class,

  The tailing class,

  Oh yea, tailing class.

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming,

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming.

  Smelling monkeys,

  Smelling monkeys,

  Oh yea, smelling apes;

  Smelling monkeys,

  Smelling monkeys,

  Oh yea, smelling apes.

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming,

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming.

  Green monocotyledons,

  Green monocotyledons,

  Oh yea, green monocots;

  Green monocotyledons,

  Green monocotyledons,

  Oh yea, green monocots.

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming,

  Everybody’s happy that freshmen are coming.

  BITTER END

  Having put himself in harm’s way

  And acquired the dreaded ailment

  He became devastated, depressed and bitter.

  Its source was luxury of relaxation,

  After businesses hours, in the pub next door

  In his small town, way back-country.

  Several friends from the city joined him,

  Every weekend, to sample the new finds

  And whoever tasted first updated the rest.

  It didn’t take long before they were culprits

  To the Adam and Eve saga

  As they all became victims.

  Dick became recluse and refused to eat

  Cursing every time like a disowned man

  And when food was served, he gave it a kick

  While looking the other way

  For he didn’t want eyes to meet

  While his body wasted miserably to the end.

  He had no goodbyes to anyone,

  Not even to his innocent children and wife

  Who were disappointed, but loved him anyway.

  He was laid to rest and soon after,

  His friends were down one after the other

  And before long, t
hey all went to cold statistics.

  THUMPING

  You shove him to the ground

  Like he's bitumen to be used.

  You butt him with the gun

  Like he's a criminal of the worst kind.

  You pound on him with heavy boots

  Like he's a culprit of mob justice.

  You spit on him ferociously

  Like he stinks like skunk.

  Secret cameras are watching you

  And recording your deeds.

  The international court awaits you

  For this is abuse to innocent demonstrator

  Who totally bears no arms

  And just wants justice meted out to all equally

  And his other cries heard and fulfilled.

  When he bleeds, don’t you feel aghast?

  When he writhes in pain, don’t you feel empathy?

  When he dies, don’t you feel remorseful?

  He’s one of you except he’s powerless,

  But he has reasons to change your ilk.

  Ignoring him isn't such a good idea

  For his noise will not give you peace.

  INSATIABLE TASTE BUDS

  My tummy tells me I’ve had enough

  My mouth tells me to eat some more

  My eyes tell me to take a little more

  My mind tells me I can go on.

  Insatiable taste buds;

  There has to be willpower

  To curb this craving

  Or else, there’s no end

  To this mania.

  My hands tell me to reach for some more

  My feet tell me they will take me there

  My body tells me there’s no harm

  My greed tells me it’s all right.

  Insatiable taste buds;

  There has to be willpower

  To curb this craving

  Or else, there’s no end

  To this mania.

  When will I say stop!

  When will I say no more?

  When will I say that’s enough!

  When will I say I can’t take any more?

  Insatiable taste buds;

  There has to be willpower

  To curb this craving

  Or else, there’s no end

  To this mania.

  DISASTERS

  Fire likes wind, dryness, combustibles and carelessness.

  Fire fears water, soil, foam and extinguishers.

  Fire can be speedy and bold.

  Fire empties surrounds.

  Fire is controllable.

  Fire has limits.

  Water can be resistant and adamant.

  Water is overwhelming and tames.

  Water is a force to reckon with.

  Water can stay put and endless.

  Water can be vast and mighty.

  Water roars, rushes and runs.

  Water overpowers barriers.

  Water engulfs and sweeps.

  Water fills environs.

  Water has no limits.

  SENIOR MOMENTS

  Noses run,

  Eyes cheat,

  Ears ignore,

  Weakness surrounds,

  Forgetfulness abounds,

  And ill health is like a second skin.

  Like it or not

  It’s here with us

  Time is the factor

  In senior moments.

  Heads gray,

  Mouths sag,

  Soles crack,

  Veins show,

  The skin dries.

  And teeth weaken.

  Like it or not

  It’s here with us

  Time is the factor

  In senior moments.

  Walk slows,

  Dosing everywhere,

  And helplessness showers.

  Like it or not

  It’s here with us

  Time is the factor

  In senior moments.

  FRIGHTENED

  I passed by a building in campus,

  not knowing what it entailed.

  Outside, was a couple, male and female,

  roughing each other and arguing endlessly.

  They were young and assertive

  going by their looks and moves.

  They looked early twenty something

  with all the verve and vivaciousness possible.

  I got concerned for the female

  for she was shouting and crying

  like she was in pain.

  The male acted with words and motion

  without a trace of pain except

  portrayal of anger and vigor.

  She showed signs of hurt and vulnerability

  as he punched her continuously

  and she tried to return his shoving.

  Feeling sorry for her,

  I anticipated racing to her aid;

  Fearing she would get wounded

  like a weak dog in a fight.

  As I took the first steps to her aid,

  behind, suddenly and quickly,

  came a lady, who knew better and

  calmed me down with her words-

  “They’re only acting.

  They’re theater arts students

  doing assignment outside.

  I saw you concerned

  and rushed to stop you

  from spoiling it for them

  and whoever was recording them.

  You may therefore relax,

  for no harm is imminent.”

  A CHILD’S DILEMMA

  At a market, far away,

  where things were unfamiliar,

  a child faced a real ordeal.

  It was all joy, with Mum,

  leaving her siblings behind.

  She jogged all the way, behind Mum,

  to keep pace, a distance of two hours walk.

  At destination, there was a sea of people,

  all unrecognizable faces to her.

  Mum bought her all and sundry to eat.

  She never said nay

  and gulped to her heart’s content.

  It was bananas, peanuts, yoghurt, name it.

  Finally, her tummy was like a taut drum

  with breathing impossible

  and her mouth wouldn’t close.

  Lethargy set in and drowsiness followed.

  And her colon started pressing

  for poop was pushing forward.

  Fainting was emerging with eyes rolling white

  and dizziness overwhelming.

  Mum turned to find her lying on the ground

  breathless, but due to shame, she wouldn’t

  say what was amiss.

  Mum being an adult, deduced the reason

  and rushed her to the nearby bushes

  where she emptied tons of stuff

  after which her life resumed like nothing happened;

  she was up and about and ready to consume some more.

  CRUELTY

  When I was six, you hurt my siblings

  On route with pails of water on their heads.

  It’s difficult to forget; they were eight and ten

  While you were fourteen, big and robust.

  They arrived wet, in pain and achieved nothing

  Due to your cruelty, as your hippo skin whip

  Had lashed their heads, backs, arms and legs.

  Oh! They were swollen and bruised all over.

  What were you thinking by acting so cruel?

  They were merely doing their duty,

  As their school and Mama required.

  You had no reason for you were just a bully.

  Mama believed not her eyes;

  Seeing them crying with no water

  And their pails were not with them

  For they ran and left the pails behind.

  Why be so cruel to such young girls?

  They’re my siblings and your act pains me.

  I looked up to them and I loathe you for it.

  They were my protectors and mentors.
r />   What were you thinking by acting so cruel?

  They were merely doing their duty,

  As their school and Mama required.

  You had no reason for you were just a bully.

  You never asked for forgiveness

  Despite meeting every day,

  But revenge is never admirable.

  What were you thinking by acting so cruel?

  They were merely doing their duty,

  As their school and Mama required.

  You had no reason for you were just a bully.

  THOSE OLDER GIRLS!

  In middle school, food was a huge thing.

  Eating lemons in darkness was no shudder.

  They tasted like oranges or tangerines

  For my stomach was empty and growling.

  I cried streams, but it never helped.

  It only made my eyes red by the day

  And my tired eyes slept better by the night.

  To suppress hunger in me, I coiled like a worm.

  Food, clothing, shoes and money I had

  Were for those older girls

  For I was like in a penitentiary.

  I had no voice to shout out no to them

  For they could deal with me accordingly

  Them bullies, of the worst kind.

  End of my first high school year,

 

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