RegenerationandotherPoems
KANACDigitalAnthologySeries2021 VolumeTwo i
PublishedbyKANACDigitalPublishingSeries info@kanac.org
Copyright © 2022byKANACDigitalPublishingSeries.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,distributedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,includingphotocopying,recording,orotherelectronicormechanicalmethods,withouttheprior writtenpermissionofthepublisher.
Publisher’sNote:Thisisaworkoffiction.Names,characters,places,and incidentsareaproductoftheauthor’simagination.Anyresemblancetoactualpeople,livingordead,ortobusinesses,companies,events,institutions, orlocalesiscompletelycoincidental.
PrintedintheU.S.A ISBN:978-978-52446-2-5
CoverDesign: AriesDesignStudious. www.ariesdesignstudios.com ariesdesignstudios@gmail.com
ArtDesign: AriesDesignStudious www.ariesdesignstudios.com ariesdesignstudios@gmail.com
ii
Foreword
TheKANACDigitalAnthologyseriesaimsatshowcasingthecreativeworks ofbuddingcreativewriters,who,notonlyparticipatedintheannualKANAC CreativeWritingcompetitionbutwhoseworkswereshortlistedforthevariousphasesofthescreeningexercises,whichwereusuallyundertakentowardsdeterminingtheoverallwinnerineachroundofthecompetition.
Thethemeforthe2021roundoftheKANACCreativeWritingcompetition was“Regeneration.”Asusual,severalentriesinthepoetrycategorywere received.Attheendofthenumerousscreeningexercises,thefewworksin thisanthologymadethefinalshortlist.Aftertheannouncementoftheoverallwinner,whoreceivedthecashprizeofTwohundredthousandNigerian Naira,alltheworksthatmadetheshortlistreceivedthorougheditorialreviewswiththeassistanceoftheKANACmentorsandeditors.Theseservices, whicharefree,areinlinewithKANAC’svisionofusingtheannualcreative writingcompetitionasaplatformforidentifyingandnurturingbuddingcreativetalentsfromvariouspartsoftheglobe.
Itisattheendofseveralrigorousreviewsandeditingservicesthatthisvolumeoftheanthology,entitled“Regenerationandotherpoems”hasemerged. Allthepoemsinthisanthologyofferdeepreflectionsontheideaofhow manregeneratesdespiteadverseconditions,threats,andailments.Inall, thepoemscelebratetheruggedspiritthathasenabledhumanitytoovercomeseveraladversities,bybeingabletorebuildandre-inventitself.Asa collection,thepoemsareatributetoourcommonhumanity.
KANACEditors
iii
Contents 1 THESPRING 1 2 OURFATHERS 4 3 REGENERATION 6 4 WOMBOFREGENERATION 9 5 ERAOFBLISS 12 iv
MuyideenAdeoyeis fromIbadaninOyo StateofNigeria.He readPublic Administrationat ObafemiAwolowo University,OsunState, Nigeria.Heisa burgeoningliterary artiste;apoet, playwrightanda novelistwhoseworks areyettobepublished. Heis32yearsold.
1.THESPRING
1 MuyideenAdeoye
THESPRING
Afterthewarriors’warsformaterials warsforrawmaterials ourfilthyknightsintheirbloodbathed thepatriotsandtheirparrotsbirthed intothearealnightswent
Afterthevampire’svenomvisitedourskins atthedinnerdiningwithourkins diningdinninglikethecitywind andsowentallblindandbehind behold!theAugustvisitorinthewinterwintle
Handscavedtheirhandsomeinmassandmossthestorm Ohingrossofgroansgrinning mistyeyesonamourningmorning thatwaitedtospotnosportersorpotters
Thenintheplaythathungerscenes openingthedoorthevisitorlocked feedingthecommonerstothepits byhungryandangryhandsdug nolunchbelaunchedinthescript manypassengersdiedintheaccident theaccidentthatkilledbutafew
Aftertherisingupof thebegrievedandbereaved afterthesafetyhunters mouthssaybecityhunters andgreenbloodfloodedLekkiflagsandclag thatmovedthesailor’sshipsandsilversheep
Afterthedrossofdeath
2
abaftthegrossofdearth thoughoutlawsbethelandlords Shallgrowallagaininallaccords pickingupourpiecesofpeace
Ourlandsthoughbethirstyhot sureforthewatersofafellownot ofcourseforthevillainsintheplay starringRussiaandUkrainiandisplay Whateverdieswasnotmixedequally
MightwehaveforgotliketheSevenSleepers thatafterthewinteroflosswhistles theautumnoflostvalues thesummerofsummedsoresappearsthespringtobeagain
LikethegodoftheoldGreekacts aftersceningtilltheclimax comesandregeneratesthedead
3
Eti-EnoNtukisfrom AkwaIbomState, Nigeria.Sheisa2022, UnitedPeopleGlobal SustainabilityLeader, whosegoalisto contributetoamorejust andcompassionate societythrough education.Sheisthe founderof“SEEwith Eti-eno”whereshe advocatesforquality education.Sheisthe winnerofthePLO LumumbaPan-African Quizcompetition2022.
2.OURFATHERS
4 Eti-EnoNtuk
OURFATHERS
Ourfathers,guardianangelsofbounteoussleep, Lushprovidersoflife’ssupplies, Mayharmattanofhatredblowfarfromyou.
Ourfathers,installersofintrinsicvalues
Layersofgoldenfoundations
Unlockingtheleveeofuntoldjoy Maythestarsofoursmileconcealyourmightylabour
Ourfathers,leadingusthroughrisingtempests
Captainsofunconquerablesouls
Maytheoceanicwavesploughyourshipssafely
Ourfathers,makersofgenerationsinfinefettle
Defiersofnatureirresistibletotheblind Makingusoutstandingwhereothersarestanding
Ourfathers,greatsagesabovescientificknowledge Evokingtheconsciousnessofinfants
Commandingthepurityoflove Maythisgentlewindblowustosproutbeyondthethreshold
Shallwecelebrateourheroicpatriots Whoeraseourliveszeros, Shallwebowbeforeflag-wavers
Whobendbeforethescorchingsun Toblendourlipswithsmiles
Decoratingourfaceswithaceaselessgiggle
5
FrankChineduMaximus isaNigeriananda branddesigner,whois passionateabout creativewriting.Ashe avers,“Ibelieveinthe useofwordsto transformandexpress ourinnermostthoughts andfeelings”.
3.REGENERATION
6 FrankC.Maximus
REGENERATION
Caughtbythecoldshiversofcircumstances, Wefeelthecloudofthedarkmoonuponus
Oursightsknownolight, Ourmindsfeelnohope, Ourwordshavenovoice, Wearebarren
‘Causelifetookabreak Rightin-betweenoureyes, Ourrealityiscartedaway Withoutadateofreturn; Ourbeliefsaretested, Toattainourdiscipline inadherencetoourprinciples Butourmindsfailbecause
Allwethinkweknew,didn’tseemenough Ourexistenceisbeingthreatened
Thefoundationsmyfathersbuilthavebecomeweak Itsrootshavebeenexposed, Itssoliditycompromised Thescaleofreference, Havebecomeirrelevant Whodoweblame? Theworldismute, Whileourhallowdecayrapidly Aroarofwordsintheuprising, Steamingporridgeofoutrage pourfromdifferentperspectives
7
Confusionevolvesintochaos Whichwayleadstothelight
Theworldmuttersaswebeckonforananswer, Aswestrivetoliveoff thefeedersandleftoversofourremains Witheachbreath,wesniff,
Oureyeswerefixedonthehourglasswhichbringtoseason Aremedy,asolution;possiblyacure Butthefurthermoretimewasspent,
Ourfacesgrowblueandourhopesdim Welosefaithasgentlepatienceexitsourabode Thereisnofixtothisdilemmabut, Anendtoanerathatbirthsanewregime, Anewdispensationthatvariesfromthefragmentsthatmadeus.
Thesystemisbeingoverhauled, Somethingnewiscoming Regenerationistakingshape It’swithoutspacenortime, It’sformless
Yetyellsvaluesthatoutweightheouncesofgold, Hasnoboundariesbutoutfartheendsofthenorthernpole It’sanidea, Withasourcethatspringsinsideofyou
It’sunheardofbecauseyouhavenotspoken It’sunseenbecauseyouhavenotsearched It’swithoutlightbecauseyouhavenotopenedup. Youhavetheseedforregeneration, Theworldawaitsyou.
8
OluwafemiMakanjuola isaNigerianwriterand poet.whowritesto defineandredefinelife. Heisinspiredby informationand transformations.His writingsareguidedby wordsofwisdom,avoice ofknowledge,anda toneofunderstanding. Helovestosharethe sightandsoundofrare lightandreallife.
O.Makanjuila
4.WOMBOFREGENERATION
9
WOMBOFREGENERATION
Lockingdownagenerationopensupregeneration. Adrop-deadlocationfindslifelineallocation; Deadgroundsextendlifelongdestination: Fromloomofmidnightintomboftwilight: Whereinthemorningwombfulloflife Waitontimeforrefreshingdue-dayschedules Freshasthemercifulmorningdew.
Aftertearsofmournfulyawningsanddimmedsights; Joyfulmorningbeamsbright: amidstdeadlylaborpangs Breakingdarkwailingwater Toseehope-come-aliveinthesmilingsunshine;
Untosightoflightintostrifeforlife, Alltravailsforeverprevailing; thegloomydoommakesroomforblossomingbloom, Thenasyouth,wewakefromdeathbedoflies Tosightthelight,andlivethelifeoftruth: Justtoroutedownanduprootevil.
Whenlivingseedissown,thentreeoflifeisgrown: Herleaveshealourlandfromwailingwoes. Withlivingseed,wesowthetreeoflife. Inthelightoflife;evergreenlivingbeamsglow Bytheriverofabundantlife;livingstreamsflow Fromonceadeathlypondwherelifeislow; 10
Fullyannounceandtruthfullypronounce: Thesightoflightbythesoundoflife, Thewaveoflifewiththeripplesoflife.
Inthesedaysandtimes Sightislostandeyesarered; Lifeislostandbloodisshed, ShrieksofMURDER comewithdeathsentence; Whenıliveȷisspelledbackward,evilsprintsforward; Wherepeopleliveinthepast; evil deedsjumpforward.
Deadlydividendsarereapedindevil’sdealings; ForwhatdoesitprofitbrotherKingsley, ToslaysisterQueen-dividingherbodyparts, Allsobloodmoneycanmultiply? Infoolishness,hecallsityahooplus, yethissouldiminishes.
WhynotseektheSaviour, theeternalfountainofeverlastingplus; Signifyingdeath’sloss,andlife’ssurplus.
Tolockdownagenerationistoopenregeneration Ofhellishgeneration indesperateneedofheavenlyregeneration.
11
IkennaNwankwuda EkpegbeisaNigerian. Heiscurrentlyastudent attheAlexEkwueme FederalUniversity, Ndufu-AlikeinNigeria.
5.ERAOFBLISS
12 IkennaN.Ekpegbe
ERAOFBLISS
Mysleepyeyesblinkonpleasantries lifeisagiftandpurpose.
Mydreams,agifttorebuildonaneraofbliss Myopenmissiondragmydreams uponthewordtorecover abandonedbeauties asweanswertonature’sfixes weblinkinpangsofcheerfulguilt.
Thoughfashioncallsforth ThesweetdreamsIhadloved, whentheydeepen
Iamawakenedtologintodreams foraneraofbliss.
AsIcageinsilencetorebuild theblisscallsoflighteningdays ofsunsilkedindazzlesandsmiles.
Againstthisdarklifeisagift Armedwithpurposetopurchase ampulesofparadise. Saintshavehostvalues yettheoriginofmydreams reflectspentgenerationsonbirthbridles writhingtoregenerate.
13
ThehuntforwhomI’myettobecomespeedsup asjoywindsthelegendarycontainer foreverythinglifeisapassionofgift purposingmyregeneration.
14
15