African Poems About africa Oraifite People Poetry Igbo poem

HOME A little house well filled, A little land well tilled, A little wife well willed. The following Igbo poem tells us how the poet thought of the young lady he describes. What does each line tell us about how he regards her? How many times does he think of her as light? YOUNG LADY You are a mirror that must not go out in the sun, A child that must not be touched by dew, One that is dressed up in hair, A lamp with which people find their way, Moon that shines bright, An eagle feather worn by a husband, A straight line drawn by God. YOU You! Your head is like a drum that is beaten for spirits. You! Your ears ar elike the fans used for blowing fires. You! Your nostril is like a mouse's den. You! Your mounth is like a mound of mud. You! Your hands are like drum-sticks. You! Your belly is like a pot of rotten water. You! Your legs are like stakes. You! Your buttocks are like a mountain top.

Practise saying this poem. Say it with feeling and enjoy it. 'To Orphan' means to make someone an orphan. What is an orphan? None on earth is like her, She that made me breathe. None on earth is like her, She that filled my stomach. None on earth is like her, She that knew why I cried. None on earth is like her, She that protected me. None on earth is like her, She that gave me my first lessons. None on earth is like her, She whose death orphans me. By: L. M. Asiedu Read and enjoy this poem. Note: A mesh is a net for catching something.         Linger means to delay, to take time before deciding what to do. THE MESH We have come to the cross-roads, And I must either leave or come with you. I lingered over the choice But in the darkness of my doubts You lifted the lamp of love And I saw in your face The road that I should take. By: Kwesi Brew

This poem was written in 1958. It was written to teach table manners to English children. Do you agree with all the things the children are expected to do? Is the poem too strict? These explanations are to help you understand the poem: a napkin ring - a ring to hold a napkin (a square piece of cloth or paper to keep food off clothes, or to clean the mounth and hands after eating). fret - complain crowd - put too much food into the mouth at once. soil - make dirty i.e. the child mustn't get food onto his fingers. keep my seat - must remain sitting down when he is finished. sport - play games. TABLE RULES FOR LITTLE FOLKS In silence I must take my seat, And give God thanks before I eat; Must for my food in patience wait, Till I am asked to hand my plate; With knife, or fork, or napkin ring, I must not play, nor must I sing. I must not speak a useless word, For children should be seen, not heard; I must not talk about my food, Nor fret if I don't think it good; I must not say, 'The coffee's cold'; 'The tea is hot,' 'The coffee's cold'; My mouth with food I must not crowd, Nor while I'm eating speak aloud; Must turn my head to cough or sneeze, And when I ask, say 'If you please'; The table cloth I must not spoil, Nor with my food my fingers soil, Must keep my seat when I have done, Nor round the table sport or run; When told to rise, then I must put My chair away with noiseless foot; And lift my heart to God above, In praise for all hs wonderous love. By: Anonoymous

I LOVE MY COUNTRY, I NO GO LIE I love m I love my Country I no go lie I work for my Country I no go sigh. Even though e dey sick E go well Even though e dey stink Inside am I go dwell Him good good things I do preserve Him development and progress I go sweat to maintain My loyal service him deserve Him good name I go defend and retain Him peace and unity I go protect and project Him way o people I pledge to expose and reprove Dem yeye decisions I promise to defiantly reject Dem mago mago I go fight to correct and remove My people please Make una plan our Country better Make Katakata cease Na this be my letter. By: Mazi Kenneth Nnabuife Nduka ~ Oraifite [source: ORAIFITE TODAY no2 December 1986.]

ORAIFITE Town of the learned and Honourable people My people have been oppressed Never have they been understood. The Nnewi have reputable men The Ichi have well to do people And you Oraifite, What is your sophistication Ancient Civilization With middle aged clans The base of men, the base of land. Now all is scartted and broken. Our People, our men of high respect And honour, our riches And now our brotherhood and Culture robbed The intruders escaped with smile. Oraifite My promising town, My brothers and sisters Stand up and be proud of your town Oraifite. By: Mr. Edmund Nedolisa ~ (Umuezopi Oraifite) [source: ORAIFITE TODAY no2 December 1986.]

ADIEU MY BELOVED In the country side Along windy foot paths Boarded by tall elephant grasses In the collness of the springs and streams At the native soap stalls To each others thirst we quelled Each others thirst we quelled Each others wished we yelled To love and be loved Along the thorny paths Morning, Afternoon Up and down those hills Horror cinema sessions through Those drama rehearsals Those intellectual exchanges Material and abstract Care for each other manifested Affection, enhancement, all Hundreds of miles apart Out of each others sight Affection carefully weaned Intensity consistenly grew Fondness unimaginably appreciated Confidence fundamentally established The obvious highlighted Mutually to care and to share For each other's sake to live and to love. But when exposed Infected by dangerous sparks Of Decadence, Indignity and lust To epitomise dishonour To the chagrin of dear one Cautioned you were, Spuriously you hearkend The desirable scorned. Ignoble escapades Tales of the unexpected Such uninspiring slide backs But the weeping Avalanche Reason abandoned Trust and deceny betrayed ifidelity blared Such gamble on tortise Consequences under estimated Inevitable anathema Incommodious insomnia Irksome lurch Black stains on white linen Bond sheared Mutuality Briddled Roses scoched Guards changed A dieu my beloved. By: Kenneth Nduka ~ Editor, Oraifite TODAY [source: ORAIFITE TODAY no2 December 1986.]

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