Chronicles of a Journeyman

Category: Poetry

  • Losing Fear

    I was a captive. Of fear. My fears – they held me by the throat And threatened to let me go If I ventured beyond the boundaries They lovingly set for me. You see, I was raised to court safety To keep a safe distance from trouble To use my…

  • Why does my heart beat so?

    Why does my heart beat so? When thoughts of you do cross my mind Why does my heart beat so? When mention of your name is made Everywhere I see your face And when it’s you I think I see Why does my heart beat so? Toyin Taiwo © 2012

  • Go Away!

    Go away. Go away. We have decided you are not real Neither are you true or to be reckoned with You are only what we make you to be You only have whatever life we give to you When we are not here, you are not here either We are…

  • Liar

    Liar! Liar!! From whence did you proceed? Clothed with falsehood as with a garment You make a prey of the gullible and innocent Holding him captive with tales that exceed The limits of truth and possible realities You nurture him with words that spring Out of your poisoned and deadly…

  • Once I was thirsty

    Once when I was thirsty I drank from the river The river of mystery The mystery of nature The nature of life The life of men The men of honour The honour of gods The gods of the land The land of the people The people of the town The…

  • The Evil Forest

    Just beyond our tiny village Miles afar from the big city Stood a forest dark and evil Greatly feared by young and old   There the trees made a large canopy Under which dwelt the wildest beasts Amidst them the yellow woodpecker Picking at the bark of the sacred tree…

  • You

    You always were my focus At the centre of my locus Of you I thought day and night Whether in darkness or in light I feared to let you out of sight For fear that you might not return Or into something else might turn   You later became my…

  • Where is this place?

    Where is this place? The blackness of darkness Envelopes me Like an invisible garment The heat of an inferno Blankets me Like an unwanted raiment   Sounds of screaming voices Swirl around me Coming from all directions Forms of strange creatures Emerge before me Dragging me in all directions Where…

  • The rolling hills of Afikpo

    There at McGregor, out on the parade ground You can see afar, for a hundred miles around The town of Afikpo looms in the distance Beckoning to you, who looks at it askance   Between the both of you, staring but unseen Are the ageless hills, looking lush and green…

  • Stay

    Stay

    “Welcome home. You will stay now, won’t you? While you were away I hardly slept Countless were the vigils I sorely kept Now that you are home, I pray you will stay” “While I crossed the sea I was thinking of you Deep, wide and endless, matched by no other…