The Masked Poet
Page 8
Determined to bring to an end the spate of setbacks Victor's frustrating campaign had caused her, she analytically came to the conclusion the only way to end it is by placating Victor, and the only way Victor would be placated is by accepting to love him again. Anyways, that's what she did. She invited him for a heart to heart in a secluded garden restaurant in town. By the time the meeting was over, the love birds were seen smiling out of the garden, hand in hand. Upon such a sight, one could quickly bring to memory, an old play written by the renowned poet and playwright of legendary status, William Shakespeare, titled: 'much ado about nothing.' Why did Delight put up all that attitude, and Victor all that bedlam, when they knew they'll get back again? Whatever, they bounced back again and by hook or crook, Victor became internationally, or at least nationally known, as Delight's boyfriend. The media reportage and stories about them also took a dimensional change from a negative one to a relationship that has made up and is once again on the rocks.
Incidentally, the period they made up fell auspiciously in and around Delight's birthday, just about ten days to the D-day. Originally, Victor wanted to host a huge celebration about their reconciliation and reunion. But when he was reminded of the fact Delight's birthday was close by, he decided to turn it into a grand birthday cum reunion bash. In the spirit of the season, he also decided to garnish the bash's grandness by putting up an attitude, a new attitude towards Delight and invariably, their relationship by carrying her along in the planning of the celebrations, a marked departure from the past.
'My dear, l really want to show you I am determined to play my part in ensuring this relationship is reformed by the challenges of time.' He told her about five days to the main day.
'Really? But what and how exactly do you mean?' She inquired.
- I want to inform you l will never stand in the way of your dreams again.
- Hmmmnnn.......uhhh...
- I mean it. In fact, l can't wait for the Miss world pageant.
- Ha ha ha ha..... Hope you know l will meet international stars there; they may ask me out o...
- I don't care. I have put that life of fear and mistrust behind me.
- So you now trust me eh?
- I investigated and discovered l was always getting my self worked up over suspicions of you having affairs with other men whereas there has truly never been such.
- Victor! You amaze me! You mean you put up all that show despite knowing I don't cheat?
- Actually, l discovered that much recently. And that even all through the four months of your sudden disappearance, there was no other man in your life.
- Come, how do you know all these? Who feeds you with these information? I think l will have to start suspecting my friends.
- That's not important.
- I think it is.
- More important than how l get those information or who feeds me with them, is the betterment and progress of our love.
- Yet if l discover any of my friend to be your mole, I'll certainly do something about it.
- Okay, lets forget that for a bit right? I also want to carry you along in the planning of your forthcoming birthday celebrations. Actually, l would have loved to make it a surprise package but as a pointer to my change in relational approach, l want to carry you along. So, if l may ask: how do you want the bash organized?
- Hmmmnnn. ..... This is so interesting......... Actually, l thought I was still dealing with the Victor of yore, thus, l made up my mind already, to surrender all preparations to you so peace can reign. But if it is from your heart, then, I'm really liking this.
- So, do you want or have additional inputs? Else, you know what I can do.
- Nothing much, except the company managing the event should know it will be a gathering of stars and notable personalities; they should thus raise the bar accordingly.
- Only that? What special gift do you want me to get for you?
- Special gift, special gift, special gift........... Oh well, l think l have one.
- Hmmnnn....... I'm all ears.
- Are you ready for it?
- Absolutely. Very, very, ready.
- Make a space for an outdoor service by the Masked Poet on that very day. And please put him to task.................
CHAPTER 7
A pretty young lady was ushered into the Masked Poet's office. She was on a scheduled specific appointment with him, of course, pertaining to some emotional needs.
'You are welcome madam.' The Masked Poet greeted.
'Thanks a million Mr. Masked Poet, and how you do?' She reciprocated.
- How do you do too?
- I'm so pleased to be here........
- Before you continue madam, please choose amongst these three: roses(whatever the colour), hibiscuses, and sun flowers.
- Make a choice? I don't get. What is it for?
- You see, you are as fine as any of those. I am lost as to which to call, you and if I call you all at different intervals, it will amount to an identity crisis. I don't know which to particularly call you, so you will have to choose one.
- Ha ha ha ha.........ha ha ha ha..............
- Calling you by that chosen name amongst those flowers would be my first service to you today, and it is COMPULSORY!
- Okayyyy...... Then it's red roses.
- I see, you must be a fiery lover......red roses?
- Ha ha ha ha ha....................hi hi hi hi.........
- Actually, I am not far from the truth considering the details of your relational need which I have received.
- How?
- That you are concerned about your fiance's present worries clearly but inaudibly articulates your fiery shade of love.
- You think so?
- It is so.
- Well, l don't know about the fiery nature of it, but I know l sincerely love him.
- Fiery love doesn't only propense towards negativity, it is as well, severally used in the positive sense. That is my line of argument regarding your fiery shade of love.
- What do l know? Well, it is very much alright with me if that is the case.
- So, you said your fiance.....................
- Yes, he is the man of my dreams and he has proven a caring and faithful partner since we started our relationship. Our wedding is three months away and a tsunami kind of, has struck us; he recently lost his job and he is devastated, which is normal. But that is not the major problem. The real issue is the sudden fear that has enveloped him which is that because he has lost his job, l will dessert him. I want to tell him, with the use of appropriately selected words cum theme in a poem, that I will always be by his side.
- You are sure a poem will reassure him?
- He loves words.
- Alright then, listen to this one. It is titled: 'I AM YOUR LOVER - FRIEND.'
I am a mountain
undreaded by the hurricane
yet respected by the storm
cos l can never be moved
I am the ocean
shone on daily by the sun
yet much respected by heat
cos l never ever dry up
I am the sun
not scared of longevity
but respected by perpetuity
cos l never stop shinning
I am the air
never feared by space
yet respected in all places
Cos l keep blowing on all
I am the earth
not frightened by inputs
yet respected by all outputs
cos l faithfully house all
I am the space
never dreaded by violence
but respected by anarchy
cos l hold orderly, the elements
I am the universe
not regarded by unlimitedness
yet respected by endlessness
cos l stretch to infiniteness.
'After reading this to him,' the Masked Poet told her, 'then pause for a moment and ask him: darling
do you know the reason for this poetic metaphor? If he demands for the reason, or even if he doesn't, move ahead to read these next lines to him.'
I am your friend
then l am your lover
my friendship of you, is immovable
then my love for you, never'll dry up
my love for you, will always shine
then my friendship of you, can't stop blowing
my friendship of you, is in faithfulness
then my love for you, is conscientious
my love for you, is till infinity
then my friendship of you, not fair weathered.
I am your friend
then l am your lover
I am your lover - friend
I will stand by you
thru' good and bad.
'This is where it ends,' the Masked Poet informed, and was about to say some more when she interrupted him.
'Wow!! This is touching! I mean, l placed my self in my fiance's position and yours in mine as I listened to you read the poem; I'm just so touched. I believe he will like this.
- You think so?
- Completely, without a doubt.
- So you are okay with this?
- I don't understand; you have another composition? I was made to understand I'm paying for only one.
- Yes, it's not really another poem you can go home with, but one you can listen to and make a choice from in comparison with this one.
- Great, great. Erm....l mean, why not? Options are certainly preferable to singularity as more is always preferred to less. Am I not right?
- Guess you are. Now to the poem, and it has this title: 'YOU HAVE MY CONSENT.'
There is no dispute whatsoever,
to the divinely natured order
of counting one before two
of reading 'a' before 'b'
and not the reverse ordering.
It's a 'doh' before a 'ray'
clockwise, not anti-clockwise
and a horse before a cart.
There never has been
a marriage without a couple,
and a couple without a consent
couple, consent, marriage.....
that's the divine order.
Consent in the middle, and at the center
in marriage, consent is everything
it's not gotten on the wedding day
neither is it granted by the priest
long before the wedding bells,
consent has been safely birthed
the wedding, and the priest
making gestures of mere formality
stamping on consent's class legality
with binds of traceable officiality.
So, long before wedlock, consent is
long before the wedding, consent is
long before the priest recites, consent is
consent is, for better for worse
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites
consent is, in poorer or richer
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites
consent is, is sickness or health
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites
consent is for ups, for down
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites
consent is, for the known and unknown
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites
consent is, for the seen and unseen
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites.
Consent was safely birthed
when l said a hearty 'yes'
to your very hearty proposal
and I'll stick to my 'yes'
through the highs and lows
the expected and unexpected
the good times and bad
long before the wedlock
long before the wedding
long before the priest recites
and there I'll remain
there I'll continue
there I'll die
throughout the wedlock
long after the wedding
long after the priest recites.
'That's it.' It was of course the masked Poet informing.
It took the young lady another minute or so to speak as she was totally enraptured by the words and progression of the poem.
'Mr. Masked Poet, l thought you are a gentleman.' She spoke at last.
- Excuse me, what are you insinuating?
- You claim you are a gentleman whereas the truth is, you are a confounder!
- Young lady, l won't.......................
- Calm down jo, don't you have any sense of humour? What I'm actually saying is, both are so good l don't know which to choose. I'm like, seriously.
- Ha ha ha ha ha........... You really are funny. You see, you have to make the choice yourself but I will guide you: the first poem is reassuring, the second is an assurance.
- Like Davido's? There's no Porsche attached! Ha ha ha ha......
- Ha ha ha ha...........ho ho ho ho...........
- Seriously now, can you please throw more light on the difference between the poems?
- Good. The first has sweet words of hope which are meant for the intervening time until the situation improves, but with the second, you are not waiting for a future that's yet to come, rather, you are ready for what the present has for as long as it runs.
- Ready for the present? How exactly? I mean, is it not the reason I'm here?
- Ermm....... I can't really tell if you are here for the present.
- What? Why? I mean how?
- Okay, can l ask a simple question?
- Yes, please ask.
- If I foot the wedding bill, your wedding bill of holy matrimony to this fiance of yours today, will you still marry him? Remember, he is jobless and the future looks quite uncertain.
Three long minutes elapsed during which she said nothing, starring in a daze. But she found her voice afterwards:
- But we can't get married without a source of livelihood.
- Which could happen still, a few days after the wedding. Would you abandon the wedlock?
Another minute or so, of silence passed during which she battled with her thoughts. Having made up her mind afterwards, she said:
- Mr. Masked Poet, you have challenged me. You know, l couldn't see through the poems like you have explained. Before your explanation, l went for the first poem, but you gave me a challenge that changed my thinking with the series of questions you just asked. Having understood this much, I'm now going for the second poem: "you have my consent."
- I hope l didn't coerce you into making that choice?
- Sometimes, we all should be coerced a little to do what's right. However, this is a benign coercion and at such, a persuasion.
- So, you are going for the second poem?
- Yes.
- Final choice?
- Affirmative.
- Okay. But as a gesture of respect, l give you both.
- Really? Oh! Thanks a million!
- That's alright.
- Just a minute, about it being a gesture of respect; for what?
- Rather ask ; to who?
- To who?
- Guess.
- To my fiance perhaps?
- No.
- To who then?
- To you.
- Me?
- Yes, you.
- Why? How?
- You more than impressed me with a quality you displayed here, right in this place.
- Hmmmnnnn.............. So, what is this quality?
- You are amenable to teaching. It is a great person
ality trait. Please, never loose it even when you eventually get married.
- Ooooohhh.........goshhhhh.......... My heart skipped a beat! Thank you Mr. Masked Poet. It's been a very fruitful time with you. I wish l knew your real name!
- Lagbaja!
- Ha ha ha ha ha...................
- My regards to your fiance.
- lt will get to him............
The next specific booking on the Masked Poet's official schedule, interestingly, was of a couple, a married couple. The moment they walked into the Masked Poet's office, he could feel a very tensed aura emanating from them. The intensity of the aura was so strong that when they got talking eventually, they made no secret of the unease in their marriage. They basically disapproved each other in almost everything, and it left the Masked Poet wondering how they managed to drag themselves to the Emotional House.