joyfulness

Harnessed in our sentiments
An artful feeling of bliss resides
Shrouded in an angelic temper
It tenaciously motivates our deeds

In its wake, it insightfully inspires
Nursing a bountiful desire to love
Every essence and every character
And sharing it in smiles and in laughs

The mind spools in lovely thoughts
Invoking compassion in the heart
It is joy, the pinnacle of happiness
Where we enjoy the delights of life

a hope for hope

Growing up, I hoped for hope
Perfected in assenting eagerness
With a desire to control hope

I did hope for love
to choose my cares and laughs
as a soothing balm for my heart

I did hope for freedom
to run wild and fast with the wind
floating on the edges of the breeze

I did hope for maturity
to band all peoples as one family
in kindred and comradeship

I did hope for health
to bask in the sun till the dusk
defying age and illnesses

I did hope for truth
to harness humanity’s heights
converting it into love and affection

And I did hope for life
to live heartily and forever
an eternal paradise on earth

It was the hope that I hoped for
And it still flourish in my heart
Soon, that hope shall be mine

anansesem

Under the shade of the mango tree
A fire lit to idle away time’s moment
Beneath the shadows of a sunny dusk
Seated in a bend shape of a setting sun

All hearts and ears, a tale to be told
Of Kweku Ananse, the great spider man
A hero and villain, a loser and winner
A man and an insect and a character

His frolics – shrewdness and foolishness
It made us howl and cry and we laughed
His charisma – mesmeric and repulsive
Revealed weakness and strengthened us

Anansesem, stories of our forefathers
To teach and entertain and inspire us
To affect and persuade and indoctrinate
To birth greatness and cause actions

Anansesem, the great tales of Ananse
An interpretation of life and harmony
A plateau of goodness and a beauty
Our history and ancestry incorporated

being different

How much of my life is left?
A captivated man aging,
Adulterated acts and attitudes,
Differently, have I conducted myself.
Sometimes, I’m criticised for it,
Praise, I have gotten from some.
Why can’t I just be me?
Why do I have to be like everybody?

All I ever wanted; was to be me.
My thoughts, imaginings and ideas,
Stretched, to include tomorrow. Not
A future conceived by some architects?
Divided, by their hushed feelings;
Of whining from across the room.
Bent on recognising greatness,
I have mastered respect for normalcy.

A symphony of likes and dislikes,
Impregnates my heart and soul;
Every time I see, hear, taste, touch or feel,
Any deed or work or speech
Of any male, female, child or adult.
Analysis, approval, disapproval and censorship.
Satisfaction only shells in my approach,
Consider my way, a better option it is.

It’s hard admitting this facade,
Slighted, their ways and mine as well.
Like the noiseless breeze of last night,
With no air to spiral, dying before its birth,
Perfection despicably eludes us all.
Criticism, like sugar is tastier,
And unreliable as the menstrual cycle.
It seems, being me is the best definition.

Do it this way, the chorus sang.
Who’s way is that, if it’s not yours?
I’m keeping silent, for this–
An introduction divided,
Into reasons for doing it their way or mine;
Only time will give substance to one.
Thus, I dare to be different,
Like a gambler atop Mount Hope.