GREEN PAPERS

Ubiquitous like green leaves

In a plantain plantation

Pushing frayed faces to the screen

Sure, daily bread is assured

“Hey you! Clear well”

Desperate like hungry wolves

Clad in faded yellow and black

Frowning and growling all day

Without a gun on the T-junctions

Perhaps they want a lift

But a tip is preferable

Tips that vanishes into air tight berets.

"Wrong parking”

“Over loading”

“Obstruction of traffic”

A three count offense

“Flash your papers abeg”

“Wetin be this? I mean the green one”

But isn’t police our friend?

Yes, but friend go chop first”

Reproaches in law uniforms

Who keep commuters at the bumer

Nerves, understandably frayed

Oh! What a paradox of justice.

TIME

A piece of art made by man

Yet, worshipped by all

Ever stopped to wonder

What god, time is?

Regrets you serve to all who are late.

Running heads to heels is the colossus

Wearing the back of his blue stockings

Just by a mere glance at thee

Oh! How he fears thy wrath

You say to man ‘its time for bed’

When to rise is quite your bet

There goes the clergy by 9 to church

And why by 12 he flees, you judge.

Time, time O’ time!

You move the clouds

You level the mountains

You grey the hair

Three score and ten you give

We wait on you for daily bread.

We drag and crawl around all day

Whilst you tick and sprint daily

You make us go insane

Yet, you are always sane.

By the day, you make our lives never same

Yet, everyday you count the same.

 True felicity at last! I heaved

 A cartload of love I laid

 Only to part with heart of regrets.

 Chimera of my delusion

 A lovebird rested in my nest

 What a pet! I hate to part

 But part I must, you ruined the pact.

 Her skin like sheen

 My star has gone, hers will shine

 Who says jealousy is green

 Nay, it is black, blue and bruises.

 Phyrric the fight to win you back

 All in vain – oh you putz!

 Exotic love you seek to find

 Lovelorn you’ll surely be.

 The bond you broke

 The bondage I seek to break

 Lovers we are, but without love

 Divorce means, LOVE HAS FAILED.

 SEXISM

A woman is born free

But always bound in chains

Conceived the way as man

And tied with nuptial knot.

From thence, holds are barred

From the congress,

Sent back to the kitchen.

From the white collar centre,

Forced home to brace natal call.

From belle and type eight figure,

To a buxom bloated bellied baby bearer.

All for her troubles

Is the debris of the travails

Who cares for national cake

When she has mouths to suckle.

But in the end, she takes the blame

They remember Eve, Jezebel and Delilah

And say she is no different

They see no virtue in any woman

Yet, they all, were mothered.

CHANGE

Spotted remains the skin of a leopard

Unchanged the life of a leper

Never has the sun risen in the west

Neither in the east does it set

Yet constant in life, is Change.

Beautiful will be the wish of the beast

Bright the vision of the blind

Brisk the trot of the lame

But all in Change lies the blame.

Sparse remains the knowledge of fools

Timid the valour of the ignoble

Unchanged is the finger print

So are the lines of news-print

Why does Change not sling a bit?

An albino maintains its colour

Under the scorching sun he is untanned

Thunderous the wail of a widow

Yet, her spouse does not sprout.

Always has water sought its level.

Solemn the sting of the bee soothing

 Change, can you change?

 So constant is your spelling

 Can’t you be charm, cheers, or cheap?

 Why then is your name Change

 If you cannot change?