In the hall of college, where Arms strong rested across the chairs,
Students, done with classes came to see a show with time to spare,
“Testing, Testing. Y’all know what time it is. It’s Open Mic Night!”
I was just grabbing a burger and a friend met me mid-bite.

“Last call, last call! Is there another performer?”
“Hey, don’t you write? I saw poems in your class drawer.”
I winced and said “Yeah, but I don’t know for today-”
“Hey, he wants to go! He’s the Langston Hughes of today!”

I glared at my friend, but I took my notes and read,
Emotions flared, the students froze with their phones left unread,
At the end of the words, the hall rose and cheered,
To the friend that made this night possible?…. I still glared.
This kickstarted me to write poetry,
Oh, what a new world that’s opened up for me!

Oh, Life! What are you to me, as young as I?
Should I grace you to see the days go by,
Or see my loved one born, grow, wed and die?
‘Tis sad that my contrast feelings are tied.

Don’t mistake me for I am grateful,
But could I tell others that you’re faithful?
Could I tell them that their dreams grow graceful?
Would all hard efforts not be wasteful?

Folks, perhaps we confuse you so much with Fate,
And our dreams or goals may come another date,
Yet we thought our actions determined our State,
In the end, it’s our realization come late.

Oh Life! What, as young as I, are you to me?
Ups and downs as difficult you could be.
Would things get better? “We’ll just have to see.”
If dreams or nightmares happen, then c’est la vie.

It started with your love of movies and books,
You will read at lunch ignoring the looks,
Mesmerized by the punch line , climax ad hooks,
Diction, characters, performances that shook.

You struggled a bit with word composition,
Was it your honest young views or rough diction,
But when your mind meshed with your creative fiction,
It may take you as far as jurisdiction.

Today your composition is better than all,
You now stand and write books while I stand and walk tall,
Sorry for the long buildup, no more talk,
A youth with books under his name is no ball.

His right eye twitching,
That side smile brimming,
His urge to compete is a hungry feeling,
To gain greater Knowledge,
Produce more Excellence,
And be of great Service.

Be it second or third fourth or sixth,
He was first once but I plead the fifth,
Strong and Steadfast, that sounds like a myth,
Strove for Integrity, what a giff,
I am proud of his Assiduity,
Just like that time at the spelling bee.

Standing up that stage felt like finding a master key,
Though it would take a millennium for a win.
The hunger was there, fighting and yearning to be free.
Sadly the good foods were present where the eyes could see.

Despite the new size and no picks at football,
He won more accolades and kept walking tall,
In Shakespeare, he’s Shy-of-luck (Shylock) of the Venetian Merchant,
Then as a Thai King (King & I) asking for a dance, “oh perchance!”
With a high school year always being in the middle,
‘Til the last year where he stopped being second fiddle.

Full of stories of day and a different outlook,
Someone told him to settle down and write a book,
With his love of movies with monsters and fighters,
He picked the pen and wrote a hero-themed tiger.
He turned a weakness into a great strength,
He hated poems but now look at his depth.
If I haven’t said it yet, but now in front of this crowd,
From the very bottom of my heart, I am very proud.

“Go Ahead!” “Take Your Time.” Life Is An Ongoing Process”,
From One’s Life To One’s Deaths, We All Struggle For Existence,
It’s The Time Between The Two That One’s Great Wisdom Is Missed,
Now Where do I Even Start From this long, successful list?

A Rising Student at Cathedrals,
A Regentonian with Great Grammar,
A Traveler Past Lagos Canals,
To A Bay Fourah away-planner,
A man that favors morals, ethics and logistics,
And motion, momentum, Work done in Applied Physics.

A Father To Many And Grandfather To Many More,
Some Of Us May Openly Grieve While Others Have In Store,
The Sight From The Juba House Window Darkens As Far As Can See,
Will Miss The Stories At The Table Of Brer Fox And Anansi.
The Balls Played In The Compound Near The Toyota and Mercedes,
Will Miss Your Baritone Laugh Accompanied With Star or Baileys.

I Recall Your Tuning To The Radio,
BBC Or 98.6 Ratio,
To Pick Out Rhetoric In The Daily News,
Is a Skill I Wish To Master In The Views,
“If You Can’t Make A Friend, Do Not Make An Enemy,”
Your Words I Find Difficult To Follow Mentally,
Perhaps It Is The Plight Of The Young Man Within Me,
The Angst, The Confusion And All Things Lemony,
Your Last Advice Was That My Chance Would Come Soon,
And When It Comes, I Must Rise Up And Not Gloom,
I Know That I Can’t List All Of Your Success And The Steps,
But Like You Used To Say “Life Is An Ongoing Process.”

All lights dimmed in a filled room ups the anticipation,
Music soared through the speakers preparing us for action,
Cinnamon sparkled my lips bitten off its sugar,

Costing me a Nicole(Nah, I Kid-man.) per platter,
I sink back in a cushioned seat leg raised in a hump.
Not words were said nor a phone buzzed, we watched as ads jump.
Energy flowed with action but mellowed down in serene,
Movies made me feel better ’til the credits end scene,
All left the room content from 2 hour-ed serenity.

To that boy there near the school swing,
Head deep in that Dictionary,
Reading, to his Apex, new things,
Like there’s no nearby Library.
Just keep on learning new words,their feature,
Cuz they will be of use in the future.

In ten years in different country; at a loss for words,
New School, New Clothes; New Jersey with shoes on an Old Bridge,
O-hi, o-low you go through the corn state forward,
Oh crap, I’ve used too much words; lets keep it abridged,
The words you’ve read you’ll share with the rest of the world.
Don’t fret about tomorrow, just stay out of the fridge.