WISDOM POEMS FOR THE REFLECTIVE YOUTHS

THE PLAYER
ESSIEN JOSH UKOH

A life of truancy Yeah! Right!! Truant Bah!! A haters word Pure old-skool slogan For a gamester A champion A king A Hood A Thug -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Truancy that was his choice His call

His glory His claim to fame around town especially on the streets where he rolls with the boys without goals without focus aimlessly.. often like a baby Arrogant , proud, a brawler a brute A rude-boy Both to his parents and the elderly citizens Yes, a truant the streets proclaim A fool the older and saner say A bad boy every other person says A regular absentee the form master reveals A no do-gooder the Principal attests

He s more interested in canteen curricula -than in scheme of studies

fashion sense of the absurd ( so called latest-celebrities stylee) -than in self respecting outfits and uniforms sportsmanship of the foolish ( tailored after a childish instinct for attracting mundane fame in the here, and now than in the relevance to the future of their Being) -than in the dribblings of maths and grammar gals and glory (the girl-pleaser is king, the hood crew all say you are the champion, they shout out to him) -than basic spirituality of the humble student

Do not concern yourself to advise him , classmates say He insults all well-wishers friends who desire him to be more studious who invite him to the reading room for an hours stay Classmates complain that he only accepts the invitation when he wants -to taunt them -to spite them -to distract them

I dont need to study during the school hours, he mocks mates When I do not fail to burn the midnight candle daily, he boasts No one believes him because just before the Regions Judgment Day the truant become feverish he is more devoted to studies during the day than other students he brooks no distraction from anyone -not from mates -not from fellow Hooders no one he reports other players to the librarian, to the form master too he is a temporary do-good His studies too much of a rush, the Principal notes at the staff meeting Its useless, they all agree Just for show, his mates tell one another.

On examination day, he cannot recall his studies he stretches out his neck for a glimpse of the Player-haters script

for any runs from the school authorities who make sure he gets none Nothing for you, the mates whisper mockingly to him When the result is released Player-boy goes to check his shame at the dead of night to avoid the knowing eyes of his mates Those Player haters are wicked he complains to his foolish peers And they claim to be born-again he shouts to those who bother to listen Yet they refused to help me to cheat he tells everybody They lack the spirit of love that Christ urged them. And they are too judgmental he tells the illiterate hood gangsters The street listens holds her head down in humility pretends to sympathize ---- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The streets remember his -insolence -perverseness -destructiveness of their young girls

-aimlessness -boasts: I am a Player The streets pretend on. to sympathize to cry for him ( but not with him) they know that it is too late to cry when the head is cut off they know that it is folly to cry for a Player who has gotten his just reward The streets remember the old mans word to the Player- criminal Dont commit the crime I you cant do the time

The streets do know that Nature plays against those who play against her.

FROM PRAYER TO PRINCESHIP

ESSIEN JOSHUA UKOH

A prayer request for his Masters peace

by a returnee !!?!

We remember him now The best boy we hadAlways smiling OldestMotivational to (other) kids ( and to teachers) Destined for greatness ( ahh-the air shouts so) - always smiling !! (during the first phase)

A visit to Pharaohs house Moses went - ( to stay) I hear.. Parental (in)action Societal pulls (during the second phase)

Some say - tis a return to Bethabara - a call back to Care Others say -a reroute back to authenticity

-a true Being-there Moses met -a Cheerful group Pleased to have son back -praises Now Returnee -shocked (first blood for the Evil One) Discovers love by the Cheerful Is feigned. Selfish No concern for returnees growth But to add to list of students as students to replace and trap master to streamline master -tempted -vision impaired -love by the group for him very high (seems) others merely tolerated (by the same group) -resolved

hardness of heart is the best norm of existence -sedated by the master by the master rerouted back to care to understand to re-hope to re-love -projects of the returnee channeled guided patronised (because the master hopes And believes in him) -at peak master in shambles faiths robe torn apart a war waged against the innocent the unintelligent the uninitiated

Manifest (at the third stage) the student propels the master (now) propels to faith in humanity in modes of peace in factuality of the triumph of Good over Evil in the reality of the Divine Some say the uneducated can become an educator of the educator the neophyte can stabilize the adept this returneethe former child of Auld Clootie Manifested .Prayers for mentors progress .Revelations of schemes of the anti-peace within the elect He the returnee streetwise mysticalised (very soundly) to. head the house (directly)

bless the chosen -he, their first son charm the little ones (already prepared by the divine) To action He the returnee Should know that to look down from the sky means to be (already) exulted

He the returnee should know that with a little help from nature all star-killers will not prowl well that a little care for speech modes and the world His pocket is sealed in that a loss of emotion ( sometimes) generates more sincere fellowship inspires fear form vile souls justifies and reveals authority

that a powerhouse of spiritual vigilantes is best accompanied with a sound Thought system All this being the case (?) Then the Regency is complete

Note: Poem for a young Christian who risked his life among the wicked to assert the right of the poet to preach the gospel. We hope that after we left the congregation, and the town, he is keeping the faith still.

BEGGARMAN
BY

ESSIEN JOSHUA UKOH

A love stroll - filled with visions of bliss at the end of this foreplay.

Oops!

She turned away her face in disgust If I was the President, she said Why? I asked in my mind They defile the cityMake Nigeria dishonorable! Scare away beneficent tourists! A lovely heart that lacks pity- I thought Does she know her husbands history?

Back in time I remember the scaly back the faded trousers with four patches the yellowish-white under wears the halitosisfied nose-

and breathe that did not smell fresh Were her husbands fate

Back in time I do know that I was gripped by the power of Hate hate for the capitalist system that bred us hate for bourgeoisies that felt like her hate for the poor like me But now- ? I love her- and her hatred of me

So I should help him, I know His anguished face speaks clearly to me But for the home play I turned away as well

LEGACY IS ALL
ESSIEN JOSHUA UKOH

Three neighbors left the station on the coach Their visions and vocation a-calling Well!!... The tipsy driver did them in Their friends and dependents made losers, mourners and then Gainers

Three neighbors -a farmer -a teacher -a preacher The first left wealth for his family The second his wisdom in many young minds The third left Gods book In a young, but pregnant, first responders handa young commercial sex workeras life ebbed away, with a whisper Why dont men heed stop signs? A young commercial sex worker.

A harlot A harlot who remembered God even as Rahab did Remembered Gods mercy and his call for change A harlot whose child became an anointed Chosen to stand for God to preach the word to retell the tale of how three friends left the station and the world But left gifts for men Wealth for a few Wisdom for the selected and Truth for all men

An anointed with a mission to remind all men That, It is not what you go out with that matters, But what you leave behind you When you go.

{Based on the 2002/3 Travis Magee hit

Three Wooden Crosses }