MY LADY!

And it seems like yesterday
The picture of the first day
When you were clad in yellow
And I whispered the magical Hello

That smile you gave me
The offer of your heart's key
I couldn't help but smile back
I must have drunk from a lucky mug

Here I stood before a diva
With no alcohol in my liver
Usually I would shiver
But with you, I felt no quiver

So I unleashed the poetic me
And it stung you like a bee
I recall how you laughed out loud
When I said 'Ploud' instead of Proud

You thought it was intentional
It was actually accidental
Pardon my tongue, my lady
For I wasn't being crazy

Could it be, we met on a good day,
When the timing was perfect to gather hay?
Perhaps we met in our previous world
Or what they say a gift from God

For how I won your heart is a mystery
Yet everything afterwards has been history
We might have not seen our bad times yet
But that heart in your chest, I will never hurt!

THE CREATION STORY!

"It shouldn't matter if it's the latest
It simply should be the greatest"
The words of the Creator to himself
As he painted an image of himself

He knew every bristle on his brush
Yet he painted without a rush
Like the gentle waters of a stream
Flowing in a midday's dream

His board perfectly erected
His colors carefully selected
Perfecting his long awaited schemes
The angels sung their hymns

From how he held his palette
You could tell he bore talent
With care in every stroke
His board, the colors soaked

One couldn't help but note
The harmony like musical note
The image on his mind
Simply one of a kind

The pattern and the rhythm
The shades he gave them
Emphasis on value
Detailed attention to hue

Before the angel, before the elf
He blessed this image of himself
And when it was all done
He chose to call it MAN!

HOPE!

I see you've had enough of the strife
I see you've given up in this life
You feel it's never worth the try
And so you opt out and cry

Your past shadows haunt you
You feel your nemesis is due
Lost in your own soul's city
You contemplate on D.D.T

You gambled away your fortunes
And sold all your costumes
Wasted years being a casanova
You feel It's all over

She became someone else' wife
And so you want to end it with a knife
Considering your investment in her
You feel you cannot live to bear

What tomorrow holds
They say, no one knows
And it surely gets better
As the story goes further

Lay aside your suicide rope
Hang on to the virtue of hope
For if you have the gift of life
it means, the world needs you alive!

THE WEDDING VOW

Before you say I do
Be sure he loves you too
Be sure he is for you
And none else but you

Before you say I do
Just know he's human too
He has a past like you
Maybe worse, but now anew

Before you say I do
You must have every clue
He is one of few
Who cherish and value

Before you say I do
Your heart should be true
Not just yours, but the two
Doubt not while you say I do

Now, boldly say I do
With a bright future in view
Till death separates you
Let love in your hearts brew

SOAKED IN THE RAIN

Soaked in the rain
The little bird sings
Ignoring the pain
The cold wind brings

For rains are tears
The blue sky sheds
For those of us
With tears in hearts

The kids on the street
With nothing to eat
In tattered clothes
And faded hopes

The lonely at heart
In need of a pat
From soft fingers
On their feeble shoulders

You, who keep failing
You, with health frailing
Innocent, serving jail term
For you I wrote this poem

You, the deserted
With thoughts disconcerted
And all who share in such misery
Today smile, today, make history

Soaked in the rains
Let us all sing
Ignoring the pains
This cold world brings.

THE OLD LADY

To live or not to live
The old lady contemplates
Like she has power over her life
Like her fate lies in a coin

To die or not to die
The old lady asks herself
The old lady far away
Where the sun sleeps at night

The old lady with no one
The old lady who's seen it all
For what has life got to offer
That the old lady hasn't tasted

The joy in smiles?
The pain in tears?
The pain behind smiles?
Or the tears of joy?

Reminiscent of her youthful days
When people still cared
When the skies were blue
And love was genuine

Her good youthful days
When morning birds were the alarm
When neighbors knock on your door
Just to share the priceless hello

She thinks the world today is sick
Perhaps she has a point
Well, she always has a point
The wisdom that came with grey hair

Whence came these plagues?
Whence came these wars?
Lust for worldly supremacy
Religion and Politics?

Men must be successful at all costs
Even if children have to die
Let the minnows kiss our feet
Lest they inhale our poison

The rich have drilled holes
Holes in the pockets of the poor
The law calls it corruption
Well, the law wears a mask

Oil is of value than men now
Ali cannot marry Esther
Oh! What's in a name?
Religion? The old lady shakes her head

To live or not to live
The old lady contemplates
She despises today's world
Now her fate lies in a coin

Head represents to live
Tail represents to die
The old lady tosses the coin
But into the deep drain, the coin falls!

ON BENDED KNEES

On bended knees we wail and wait
We wail and wait unto thy kingdom
May it come while we still kneel
While our thirst is still intense

With contrite hearts, we bend our knees
With no idea of how to start
How to say we lost our path
In this maze we call our lives

Filled with utmost uncertainty
Doubting our very own existence
We know not what we want
For when it comes, its never enough

How we do the things we don't like
How we struggle to live right
The tears we shed for no reason
The little secrets we tired of keeping

We've heard a lot about this God
Who came to die for men like us
Weary and overburdened with guilt
With eyes opened yet blind at heart

Give us rest like you promised
Lay a bed of peace in our hearts
Summon our wandering souls back home
And let us wear genuine smiles

With contrite hearts on bended knees
We wail and wait unto thy kingdom
May it come while we still kneel
While our thirst is still intense

AMEN!

HEARTS

Two steps out of the elevator
And he came to his senses
He shouldn't have said that
He hopes its not too late

Two steps back into the elevator
And up to the fifth floor
He has to make this right
He hopes for a redemption

He stood at her door
He could hear her weep
His heart is broken
He's disappointed in himself

She sees him through the glass door
She yells on top of her voice
Touch not my door with your bloody hands!
He's in total awe now

He kneels behind the door
For hours he still kneels
He hasn't uttered a word
Well, what could he possibly say?

How should he begin?
I'm sorry I called you a whore?
I didn't mean to say its over?
I promise it won't happen again?

Indeed, he is sorry
But the word is of less value now
She cries herself to sleep
He still kneels in silence

Then she hears someone cry
The nights have beckoned
But it isn't a dream
He now kneels in tears

She's never seen him cry
She opens the door finally
His sorry has now gathered weight
He let's it out his chest

She helps him up on his feet
They both cry their hearts out
She whispers into his ears
Thanks for mending what you broke!

THE BAD GOODBYE

While we exchanged our goodbyes
Our fingers trembled
We both wore broad smiles
Yet our eyeballs were soaked

One of us had to be strong
I knew I had to be the one
So I locked up the tears
But how long could the floodgates hold?

How do you say goodbye so loud
And whisper 'don't go' in your heart
Why freeze these emotions?
Why give the heart more than it can bear?

Men do not cry!
Mum's golden rule
Well, If this is wat it takes to be a man
Then call me Wendy

We looked into each other's eyes
Our smiles were slowly wearing off
She tried to say something
But it was too late

Her gates had loosened
And the tears sped down her cheeks
She hid her face unto my chest
By now, I had broken mum's rule

I realized I had no tissue
So i buried my face in her hair
And one question crossed my mind
What's good about goodbyes?

UTOPIA

Could we close our eyes for a while
And forget there exists pain
Forget the harsh realities of life
And the unfairness of this world

Could we smile for a while
And cleanse our faces off sorrow
Shutting the gates to our tears
Perhaps drought in our eyes

Could we call our wandering souls home
Simply by being ourselves
Opening our eyes to how special we are
Desiring nothing more than happiness

Could we unlock the dungeons in our hearts
And set free this bounded hatred
So we could finally sleep smiling
So we could finally smile sleeping

Do we realise what we've been missing?
The joy we've denied ourselves
While the world dictated for us
While we fought wars that weren't ours to fight

So while we snap back to reality
We have a choice to make
Why can't we keep dreaming?
Dreaming of this perfect world

Dreams do come true, don't they?
So shut your eyes to the world
Be a walking sleepyhead
And enjoy the dream!

THE BLAQBOI'S CREED II

You marvel at his works
You hail him in your heads
The magic of his words
Heals and soothes your hearts
You wonder in your minds
If he writes with you in mind

For he touches on your darkest secrets
He paints the pictures of your lives
He must be watching from a distance
With his feather quill pen in hand
Admiring the dribbles of its ink
Like a modern day scribe

Similes and metaphors
His conspicuous passwords
Free verses or rhymes?
His everyday dilemma
Tragedy or comedy?
Climax or anticlimax?

What is his aim?
So the world could smile
To a resurrected hope
Does he even have a name?
Well, he is the BLAQboi
A poet who sees Beyond Looks And Qualities!

BLUE BIRD

Who understands the language of the birds?
Tell me what this blue bird says
Surely, it has a message for me
One from my empress across the seas

Weakened are its feeble wings
Yet smart to escape Gravity's wrath
And across all seven seas
Revered my empress' request

But here it stands in awe
Trying to make me understand
The language of the ancient
Made for the tongue of a royal

The soft coo it makes
While it looks away from me
Like it wants to fly me home
Oh! My empress must be missing me

Has she been crying?
Has she been starving?
Is her health frailing?
Someone ask this bird for me

The weak bird wouldn't talk
Its been feeding on stray insects
It finally hops unto my palm
Behold! A paper fastened to its leg

It vaguely read; PLEASE COME BACK HOME
It was my lady's handwriting
Sobbing with tears down my cheeks,
The blue bird gently flaps its wings.

Who speaks the language of the birds?
Tell the blue bird to tell my lady
That I miss her more
And I'm coming back home

This time, for good!
And away, the blue bird flew!

BE YOURSELF!

Let them take the lead.
Let them call us fools.
Just for being patient,
When the world was rushing.
Just for being different,
What did we do wrong?

Trying to be selfless,
We broke our own hearts.
Trying to put our happiness first,
We stepped on toes.
Men will never understand us,
For men were not made to understand.

We don't have to be wise in their eyes.
They see what they wish to see.
Let us cross fingers and watch,
The wise who think life is a race.
While we carefully take our steps,
In this perceived foolish world of ours

We can't wish them evil
But will they hear us when we shout?
When the vipers lurk behind them
When the clouds depart from the sky
And we notice the cliff ahead of them
Won't they be too far to hear us?

Should I end here?
Should I go on?
Need I say again,
That I'm not always right?
Don't we all know?
That life is a journey, and not a race?

Smile and just be yourself
It's a free world!

WRITTEN IN THE FULL MOON

There was something about that night
That made everything so right
How we both forgot our plight
Beneath the bright moonlight

Oh! That wonderful full moon
That made the night seem like noon
Sparked a light in our heart
From the floor where we sat

How your eyes looked into mine
Betrayed your will to cross the line
I tried to deny the sign
But my heart wouldn't incline

Perhaps I wanted you more
A fact I could not ignore
And as we both leaned forward
Our hidden desires were uncovered

Your lips against mine
We weaved like a twine
And those minutes we got mad
Were the best I ever had

In the full glare of nature's spotlight
Our love brewed in the moonlight
As where the moon looked, shone bright
Where our love goes, shadows fright

So what do we call this love?
Beneath the moon up above
A night we will forever miss
Written in the full moon, it is!

HOLD MY HAND

Hold my hand!

Hold my hand when I reach for you

In the dark and silent nights

When my own shadow scares me

And plants my feet in the quicksand

When the closest branch is beyond reach

And the vine is too weak

Do well to hold my hand

Hold my hand when I am sad

When you say my name

And I do not turn

When you crack that joke

And I do not laugh

Hold my hand because you know me

Hold my hand and make me smile

Hold my hand when I yell at you

Hold my hand and remind me

Remind me of anger's wages

Hold my hand and calm me down

Hold my hand against your heart

Hold my hand like its my heart

Hold my hand like it's your dying wish

And not because I want you to

When my knees go numb

And my thighs shrivel

Hold my hand and help me stand

Hold my hand like you understand

Hold my hand like I've held your hand!!

THE LAZY POET!

The muse kept knocking 
But my lazy soul was wandering
While the words kept pouring
My ink wasn’t flowing  

I was under no pressure to write  
So I daydreamed over an Italian diet 
And when I came to my senses
I had lost all the sentences  

I sat admiring my thumbprint 
While I had a poem to complete 
I racked my brain for the lost words 
But each time, the outcome got worse  

I felt like my brain was on temporal retardation
I felt like I’m responsible for the joy of a nation Yet all I do is a crafty manipulation

Of the words I learnt from basic school dictation  

 

I tried closing the book

But my conscience gave me a look

I felt I offend the Creator

When I decide to continue later 

 

I penned down all the nonsense 

In the end they all made sense 

Proudly, I admire my finished work

For which I wouldn’t even get a peck!

THE LAST RENDEZVOUS

Dearly Beloved,

Thanks for honouring this meeting

You don’t need to wear that frown

Here, I bought you a beer

You don’t need to check your watch

I promise, it will be brief

I brought you your heart’s desire

On a golden platter

Today, I’m walking away

To a place our paths might never meet

With these thoughts eating me up:

That to you, I’m never good enough

I probably might never be

In this world and in the one to come

But I still hold those cherished memories

Of our meetings on the shores

I have your pictures in my album

I will flip through them everyday

I have your number on my phone

I will delete it after here

Will that even be necessary?

I know those digits off head

I will be tempted to call

But I promise I won’t

Today, I’m walking away

And it’s clear you are not bothered

Have you even checked today’s date?

It’s our 10^th wedding anniversary

For better or worse, you said?

Well, here are the keys

The keys to the car parked there

A promise I made on our wedding night

Do me the honours

Make me a keeper of my word

And one last favour:

Tell me where I went wrong

What did he say that I never said?

Dearly Beloved,

What’s that mark on your face?

He’s abusing you already?

Why do you have tears in your eyes?

Oh no! Don’t let them fall

Did you just say you still love me?

Should I believe you?

Well, this meeting is one of farewell

Not one of opening dead wounds

I wish you well dear

But against all odds,

Today I walk away

And I walk away smiling.

A HEART I WON!

Roaming like a stray dog

I met a maiden in the fog

She wore raiment of old

And bore a crown of gold

Her smile betrayed her white teeth

Yet I could hear her heartbeat

She had dried tears on her cheeks

Her fear, obviously in its peaks

I walked close to where she sat

And slowly took off my hat

I tried to reach for her arm

I saw the blood in her palm

She whispered, it’s a curse

Who ever loves me, life expels

At least, that’s what history taught me

So go your way and let me be

But the beauty in those eyes I beheld

Made me immune to the words I heard

So what do you call a boy?

Who thinks a tiger’s whisker is a toy

These words made her smile

She found one ready to go the extra mile

One who thinks the past is gone

And future, open to be won

I got her up on her feet

And asked if she’s ready to dance to my beat

She said, whoever fills my soul with laughter

I promise to love ever after.

MENTAL BOUNDARIES

The uselessness that weighs his heart down

The ineptitude that runs his blood cold

As he watches the tears run down her cheeks

And his palms are too wet to dry them

His hands too weak to lift her up

His shoulders are hers if she wants to lean

His ears so close to pick her whispers

She cannot tell her shadow from his

But she’s a very smart Princess

She knows he won’t be there forever

Temporal is never enough

Permanence knocked on her heart

And she gladly opens up

She asks for his blessings

He couldn’t help but wish her well

But then she comes back wailing

On his shoulders like she owns them

Yeah! She owns them

They are all hers but not for keeps

And that’s the silent needle in their ribs

Society says it is forbidden

For they are bound by long blood chains

The world says they are distant cousins

But what they make of what the world thinks

Only the future can tell!!

CHORISTER ON THE STREETS!!

I watched her through the cracked windscreen

The windscreen of a rickety old trotro

She looked quite malnourished

But she wore a bright smile

Her eyes fixated on the traffic lights

As she stood on the pedestrian walkway

Patiently waiting for the Red

And unto the asphalt, she came

Carrying her iced water in a bowl

I doubt if she would be over 12 years old

Yet there she walked in the traffic

Aspiring for world’s best hawker

The academic calendar is active

So what’s she doing here?

Could she be too intelligent?

To have completed basic school beforehand?

Could she be too blockheaded?

She gave up on schooling?

But, is school only for the academically upright?

The random thoughts kept multiplying

And then I woke from my slumber

As I heard her yell “Pure water, ice”

Everyone turned in her direction

She is a chorister on the streets

Marketing with a 3-worded hymn

Like every performer, the crowd owed her

I reached for the blue cedi note in my pocket

But I saw her run fast back unto the walkway

The traffic lights had turned Green!!

Trotro  ………. Ghanaian public transport

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANDY!

The sun keeps smiling
The birds won't stop singing
The sky is bright
Eagles are in flight

A great day came
With just one aim
To celebrate a lady
Loved by many

Glasses are clinging

The wine is refreshing

Blend of the best and the least

Perfect picture of a feast

And so we make a toast to life

One bright life devoid of strife

We pray you never cease to smile

And joy flow in your life like the Nile

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

 

ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST

I sit by the window watching the sky

And I wonder why my buddy had to die

The feeling inside makes me cry

Makes me feel like life will soon pass by

Words keep rumbling in my head

My eyes won’t shut even in bed

 Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

Yet I need an answer from the dead

The whats, the whys and hows

I seek from the eyes of your spouse

Like a search for a flying mouse

Alas! Silence grips the house

How do I sing our song?

Now that you’re gone

Who will play the gong?

Indeed! Good things don’t last long

The signs are not of closures

For while I walk with our brothers

I feel your tap on my shoulders

And your footsteps like a soldier’s

I turn to smile at you

But I do not see your hue

Is it in my head or it’s really you?

I just don’t have a clue

Today, death had his way

But wherever you may be P. Kay

Just know that come what may

We will surely meet again someday.

OWUSU NYANTAKYI a.k.a PAA KWESI, R.I.P.P!!

IS MAMA EVER WRONG?

When mama scolded me

I thought she hated me

But I saw the fire in her eyes

Her desire to make me a better man

When she got calm, she whispered;

“Son, it was a necessary rebuke”

With a smile, I replied;

“Mama, I understand!”

When mama said we will laugh last

I did not understand her

At the time, everything was crushing

Yet she insisted, things and times change

To the world, the vision was blurred

All hope was lost but mama was adamant

Through the fog, she saw the light

Today, we are the ones who laugh best

When mama said we wouldn’t last

I thought she was jealous

Mama loved me too much

And was scared to lose me to some lady

I spent time with Lucy more than mama

 Soon, the other part of Lucy showed

Excessive demands and half truths

But mama had her arms wide opened

And with a broken heart, I ran to her

She said, “It’s good you learnt the hard way”

When mama said I will turn my back on her someday

I knew she was only joking

And yeah! She was just joking

She only needed me to reaffirm my love for her

Mama, I LOVE YOU!!

But for long I’ve been wondering

IS MAMA EVER WRONG??