The Z
Channel’s Poetry Collection: Celebrity Edition
Ogundare Tope
Copyright page
Copyright (c) 2015 Ogundare, Tope
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Preface
This is a compilation of poems that first appeared on my blog, “The Z Channel”. They are personalized poems, written for my readers, friends and family. These people mean a whole lot to me, and these poems are expression of love, a token of my appreciation to them. It is me saying “you mean a lot to me, I care about you and you have made my life beautiful”.
These poems are by no mean artistic, or top notch. Rather, they are amateur works, written with a hand crafted quill with roughened edges and unpolished, but dipped into the ink of heart-felt emotions and affection. The brushstrokes are weak and lack finesse but they are bold and bright, the colors of love.
Poetry seeks to express much in so little, and thus I have chosen to convey myriads and layers of emotions in so few lines, hoping that these people would see beyond the scanty lines, and see a whole lot more in between the lines, the comas, and semicolons, into my heart, pumping with love.
This e-book is my very first attempt at publishing and has been set aside to feature poems dedicated to loved ones, I call them celebrities. It also features poems written in collaboration with fellow poets and bloggers.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
Ogundare Tope 15/04/15
Dedication
To my blog readers, I love you all.
Contents.
Copyright page
Preface
Dedication
Contents
For Amity
Bori
Songs by the fire
For Tammy
Jule’s Day
This Friend!
Silent Scream
Sisters of the spoken word
Straight from the heart
Singular
Goodnight
Written for you
On the brink of yesterday
The Inkheart
Capture my heart
For Amity
The Z channel celebrates you as you turn a year older today
I am thankful to God for you, For friendship.
As you continue on the journey of life
I wish you God’s speed, Mercy and Favour.
I hope you find all the happiness that your heart desires
And all the joy that you need. Above all, I wish that you find love For love is life
God is love
And that you have the courage to open your heart to love
And to not be afraid There is no fear in love.
Always remember that you are beautiful, through and through,
And perfect
And that you deserve the best.
You are priceless, never settle for less From life, demand the best
Work hard, pray hard, and trust hard
It will always work out for good in the end
Because God has a plan, which cannot be overturned.
Don’t worry much, hope always
Let your gift flow through you, don’t be afraid to use it
And watch it grow and touch lives around you. Let’s celebrate!
Many happy returns! Hurray!
Bori
I.Twenty one
A line Arbitrary
Delineates Teenage From Adult
II.Metamorphosis
The caterpillar Crawling Unnoticed Blossoms Colourful
A wonder of nature
A butterfly, gay and breathtaking Flitting just out of reach of many A longing heart.
III.Kiddo
Young puppy Doe eyed Wagging tails Tugs at the heart
IV.The Journey
Adulthood appeals to the child
Childhood is the destination of the adult’s fantasy
The secret to staying young On the journey of life
Is to pack the gear full Of childhood memories
And to travel in the body of a child’s heart.
*** Written for Oluwabori, on her 21st birthday
Songs by the fire
Bring out the banjo and the ukulele Run, fetch the tambourine and drum Let’s sit in a circle around the fire Let love warm our hearts
As our bodies are warmed by the hearth Break out a song on the guitar
Fiddle with the strings and let the strains Make merry
Who will sing the solo? Perhaps you? Me?
Or maybe we make it a quartet? Better still, let’s all sing it together “Happy Birthday to you”
The flow merchant “Happy Birthday to you”
The Lyrical genius
“Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday”
To the Doctor with Swags “Happy Birthday to you” Dr Ekpo Ezechinyere.
For Tammy
Tis but like yesterday
After nine months of waiting, Making plans and dreaming up Images of how beautiful you’d be,
Loving you from the very first day I knew
Of your presence,
Relishing every moment as you grew,
Enduring the nights when it was
Hard to find a comfortable position to fall
Asleep and the several bouts of
Pains and discomfort; finding an inner Peace and joy in the life growing within. Years have passed since that first cry, But the feelings you evoked as you took In your first breath
Remains as strong as it was
The moment you made eye contact. Heaven’s blessing you are, little Darling and watching you grow strong
And healthy has been a delight which for many
Years to come I hope to bask in its wonder.
******
This poem is for Tammy, the sweetest little girl on earth, and the apple of her momma’s eye (Yemie.) Wishing you many happy returns dear. Lots of love and kisses.
Jule’s Day
Happy birthday Jules
All the very best in all your endeavours Press forward, no matter the hardship People may fail you but always lift up Your heads to the heavens
Because help comes from above
Infinite grace abounds to see you through Reach within you and harness the power To fly high that has been deposited
Help will always come, always remember that
Dance at every chance you get
All things will always work out for your good Yield yourself to the creator and watch him Jumpstart his plans for you
Underneath you are the everlasting hands Lie down in peace, you have nothing to fear In all situations learn to trust God
And praise Him
Nothing can hurt you
And you can never be disadvantaged
Hearty cheers my dear, bask in God’s goodness! Hip! Hip!! Hip!!! Hurray!!!!
This Friend!
I have this friend, from a long while ago, Quiet, with few words but weighty;
Shy with a fragile body that belies great strength beneath
And with such a lovely smile, never fake, Always reaching the eyes, with cute dimples!
I have this friend from a long while ago,
Who never ceased to tell me how talented I am; Even when, this ‘talent’ was only a seed
And my attempts were the beginnings Of a child learning to walk- wobbling.
I have this friend from a long while ago,
Whose words of encouragement were never few, Who has stayed true througho
ut the years;
A steady presence cheering me on, Knowing that I needed to hear those words.
I have a friend from a long while ago, Who said to me “I believe in you” Words that help when I am blue,
Words that go ahead to wear the clothes of action;
True friendship is always in deeds.
I have a friend from long while ago, Who has stayed true till date;
A steady flame, never going dim
Despite the barrier of distance and time; True friendship never really dies.
I have a friend, from a long while ago, Who is a year older today;
A jewel in a man’s crown, And a treasure in my heart; And I celebrate her today.
Happy Birthday Olabimpe! Many happy returns… Wishing you lots of things… Wishing you God,
Silent Scream
Does my silence scream?
Does it say how much I'm longing for you? Does it show that I'm frustrated over not having you?
Does it tell you how much I'm still in love with you?
Do my tears drop you a line?
Can you tell it’s from a heart void of warmth? Do they roll down to you,
whisper in whimpers words from a broken soul?
I've been robbed of words, Deep down my soul howls,
utters things that are too sacred to the ears I'll sit and cry instead
curl up and just miss you.
Every time I see you My throat bobs and My heart pick up
I catch your eye and
Hope that you will smile back.
It lurches and drops to my stomach When I see you smile at another And whisper words of love
My heart screams and I wonder
How you still can hear amidst the noise.
I said it was alright But it isn’t
I said I have moved on It is a lie, how can I?
I don’t even know how to.
I cover up the wounds well And you don’t know that
Beneath the veneer of shining skin Is a festering sore
Odious and fatal
I am dying
A slow painful death Can’t you see?
You could spot a difference About me miles away before Why can’t you see this?
***
Written with Ifeoluwa Olunu, she blogs at www.virtuousspirit.wordpress.com
Sisters of the spoken word
They are fairy sisters
Joined together by their love Of the spoken word,
Wielding magic with their wands
Casting spells of love in the hearts that read Amity of the alternate reality
Words that flow in a gentle rhythm Of aliens and monsters
Love and passion
Zee, motherly and mystical
Writing in brilliant colors, warm and breezy A windy summer day
Jules, vivacious and effervescent
Sometimes broody and waxing philosophical
A bold stroke in dark colors set against a white canvass
Yemie, the fairy goddess of words Fiery and feisty
A maestro of words A dynamo
Lighting the blogosphere from one end to another
Possessor of the blue pixie dust The essence of magic.
Straight from the heart
No, this is not about me It about another, Yemie
And ‘straight from the heart’ Blending life with art.
She is the queen of words Reigning in the blogging world To me, she is a super fan
And more, much more. An Adorable heart, a free spirit A goddess, a fairy,
Filling the night air with arias Enchanting melodies, soul stirring lyrics Taking wings and setting hearts a-flutter Insightful and deep;
Blazing a trail across the blogosphere, She has set up a haven for parched souls Hungry for dew drops and honeycombs “Her little corner of the web” she dubs it
But I call it the sun, the centre of the blogging universe.
*** written to commemorate the launching of “straight from the heart” by Yemie. Visit at www.oluwaballer.wordpress.com
Singular
She is mine
And she is mighty fine When she is gone, I pine
Hours really if you must assign To it a time line
She is a delicate vine You see, my spine
Even when I go bonkers when she whines I really am high, like one drunk on wine When you have a fork with a single tine Then you learn how to dine
With caution and still to shine And when nature by its design
To your hands, a single gem consigns
You stay awake like one with the curse of Ondine Lest sleep conspire against you and sign
You off to the land of the desolate, among the kine
With no calf, a fate worse than death.
*** written for Tami, the one and only!
Goodnight
Goodnight and goodbye, The day is far spent; Night has fallen;
The fields are deserted The labourers have retired, Weary and drained;
The chicken have returned Home to roost.
Goodnight and goodbye, It is time to rest,
From all toils and labour; To lie still and in peace, Undisturbed by the chaos And noise all around;
To grieve over dreams that will not be.
Goodnight and goodbye, Just till the night is past;
Surely the day will spring forth; The sun will rise from its lair And all that are asleep shall rise; And then we shall see again.
*************
I penned this down early in the morning, waking up earlier than usual. I was surprised at the theme; I was not in mourning nor had I lost anyone. Shortly after, I heard a shocking news and wondered if I had had a premonition. Now, the poem has become relevant
Goodnight, Mr Shobayo, till the morning, when we shall see again.
I pray for God's comfort for the family you left behind.
Written for you
This is written for you And every word is true Hello, testing one two
Now, put on your dancing shoe And wait for my cue
Olojo ibi, ijo kan e o
I'm sure you have no clue Step up to the dance floor Celebrant of the day
Now you playing it cool Dance and pay your due!
To Him who is faithful and true Raining down His blessings like dew Happy birthday to you!
And many happy returns too.
***
Written for my dear friend Obinna.
On the brink of yesterday
Over there, just
Yonder, over the hills
Ere you get to the bridge of Yesterday, lies tomorrow Exceeding sorrowful and a total Mess, chained and bound
In anguish over the deeds of the past.
Oh, the pains of the
Memories that haunts
Eager strokes from the whip of conscience
Raging like the tempestuous ocean And rocking the ship of friendship Hope is all that is left.
****
To Yemie, a dear friend and staunch supporter….my super fan. I promised you this… the puzzle is in the first letters of each line.
The Inkheart
The Inkheart.
A heart that has been bruised Seeking to heal the world with words A heart that has seen pain
Serving as a balm to an ailing people; Writing with such poise and elegance Words that take on flesh and find their way Into the heart.
Words written with quill dipped into the inkpot Of the Giver of words.
A heart filled with molten gold Shining forth, touching souls.
May your days be filled with beauty Ethereal and breathtaking
May your heart overflow with joy And happiness that is bellyful
May your head be sprinkled with grace And your face shine with Favour.
Happy birthday!
** written for Alice, a dear soul.
Capture my heart
Win my heart with sweet words Take my pain
Fill the hol
low with your song Make me crave
Like an animal on heat
Chase my heart with the beats I love the most Springing from the fountain deep within you cascading outwards in gentle rivulets
Tender, and a drawn out melody sweeter than the honeycomb.
Make me long for them all day
Wake me with tunes from your heart delightful music that fills me and sustains Stroke my hair, sing me that song
that will forever glue my heart to you
Go on your way, don't stay long don’t forget to post me a line or two, sweet words
For my longing heart
I'll read them till I fall asleep waiting for you
My heart aches for you
Pines for you, curled up alone come back home darling Come tease me again
with those words you wrote that won my heart
** Written by Ifeoluwa Olunu aka Virtuous Spirit.
Edited by Ogundare Tope.
About the Author
Ogundare Tope is a lover of books, nature and music. A jack of all trades, dabbling into creative writing, poetry, photography, song writing and composition, none of which he is good at but has fun doing!
He is a senior registrar at Neuropsychiatric Hospital Abeokuta by day, where he is lost in the world of science and unraveling the mystery of the human mind and trying to save the world, and a writer and blogger by night, lost in the beauty of the world of words.
His poems have appeared in online magazines, daily sun newspaper and in anthologies: “Black Communion- an anthology of African poetry”, the weaver’s anthology a commemoration of Nigeria’s centenary celebration. His works are also featured in https://www.faithwriters.com and https://www.naijastories.com. He blogs at www.zaphnathpaaneah.com