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FOR A SLICE OF BREAD

An original poem

What do I want than a slice of bread?

Will food or water accomplish my quest?

Nothing I want more than a slice of bread,

Either have this or better be dead.

"Wake up! It's morning, you had a good sleep",

I hear the voice call me out from my deep;

Prayers, then toothpaste that smells so good,

My teeth must be white because of the food.

The bathtub is great, me splashing in the soap,

Remember there's school - I'll go pack my notes;

Breakfast is done and we're rushing to be fed,

My biggest concern be that first slice of bread.

Landing at the table, my hunger is vexed,

Sister took it first, that first slice of bread;

I snatch it from her, not wasting any time,

"That's mine for breakfast, brother", she cries.

"I don't care" I say, "today it's my own!"

Sissy is mad with her fists firm like stone;

"You had it yesterday, now it's my turn,

Give it back to me, it's not your concern."

Oops! I've bitten it, we both start to fight,

Mummy comes in, surprised at the sight;

"Brother took my bread" says baby in tears,

I'm laughing inside, but Mum sees my sneers.

"What is all this - you're fighting" she says,

"Is this because of one piece of bread?"

She takes my piece, and I burst in anger;

"No breakfast for you till we talk this later."

So I'm back in my room with a lot of grumbling,

And I slam the door shut with a heavy banging;

This is not fair, I think to myself,

Mum won't listen to me, no matter what I tell.

When Mum comes knocking, I refuse to answer;

Still she comes in and looks at me, and I must face her.

"Son, your sister had that slice of bread first,

There's always another time, so you don't have to outburst."

"Mummy, that first slice should always be mine;

It's either I have it or else I would die."

Mummy looks at me and bursts into laughter,

And I'm feeling dismayed for what she'd say after.

"My boy, your life does not count on that slice,

Don't have it today, you surely won't die;

It is not like you need it, you are in good health,

Though you do this because you think of yourself.

"My goodness, my son, must I tell you again?

Must I always repeat what I've ever said?

Think of yourself, and your life is sadder;

But think of others, and your days get better.

What everyone does fulfills themselves,

We want to live only to enjoy ourselves;

We bribe and steal to get what we love,

And kill to make our desires succumb.

Imagine the people who had lived for others,

They suffered and cried, but did their own pain matter?

Einstein and Parks, Kennedy and King,

Mandela and Lincoln, and what of Ghandi?

Thatcher, Roosevelt, Angelou too;

Garvey, Pablo, and Luther - that's true!

Still these are few out of many of them,

The many that put others first till the end.

"Now this," Mum concludes, looking at me,

"Is the truth I know, and which I believe;

If you love only yourself, you cannot succeed,

But if you love other people, your joys are guaranteed.

Now think of what is better than that slice of bread."

She leaves my room after patting my head.

What can I say, could Mummy be right?

Could life be bigger than that one selfish bite?

What do I want than a slice of bread?

Will food or water accomplish my quest?

Nothing I want more than a slice of bread,

Either have this or better be dead.

Loved this poem? Then why not share and leave a comment? That'll be really appreciated :-)

Tobi Ayeni

Photo by Arturo David

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STARS IN THE DARK

An original poem

Daytime's reign is old with time.

The sun stoops slowly in a western decline.

The king of night is seen a faint distance away,

While awaiting the end of another day.

The inhabitants of light have retired to bed,

And the creatures of darkness have risen, like yeast in bread.

Nighttime is here; it is full of blackness,

Crickets are singing, they sing of the darkness - 

The darkness that engulfs joy and brings sorrow,

The darkness that makes the sight seem so narrow,

The darkness that delays in bringing tomorrow.

I stand on top of a high hill,

And look down on the world so still:

It is so dark, so dark I cannot see,

I can't tell if murderers stand behind me.

I wish I could turn on a source of light,

A source of light that would bring on its might.

I weep 'cause those in darkness cannot see,

They cry for justice: "We suffer!", yet relish festivities.

They enjoy the darkness the night has brought,

They marvel gleefully what the black has wrought;

I mourn sadly for the light they haven't sought.

Suddenly from out of the black

Comes a ray of light, a ray so fast;

It hurls down the sky, passing through the clouds,

Falls to the ground, and I hear a loud shout - 

I look up and see a star,

A star in mid-air, way up and afar.

It beams on me, comforts my soul;

It gives me peace, and says, "There is still hope!"

Then it goes into the world of fear and darkness,

And brightens existence with power and kindness,

Convicting the rebels of their sworn wickedness.

The Rock of Ages, broken for me,

Has now shown us the light to see.

"You are the light of the world",

That's why you must rise!

"You are the light of the world",

Let none say otherwise!

We are the stars in the dark, 

Stars shinning light in oblivious hearts,

Showing the short-sighted the path they must survive,

Pointing the sorrowed to the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Oh stars in the dark! Show the world your light!

Loved this poem? Then why not share and leave a comment? That'll be really appreciated :-)

Tobi Ayeni

Photo by Min An

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BEFORE THE NIGHT ONCE FELL

An original poem

The warm morning lights still drop down with dew,

With my eyes to the sunlight, only to catch a few,

The green scenery that awaits me treats me to its call;

I can only wonder how great it is to know what I saw,

To know and to live life.

I must tell you, the most beautiful thing I saw

Was the truth by a path way, where the critters crawled;

Two young ones, much younger than me,

Two young girls, two beauties to see,

Chatting and playing in the green.

Their hairs flew and glittered in the air,

Their lips moved as though there was no care;

Side by side, the girls shared moments,

Laughed, joked, played in excitement,

And then it came to me ...

"Talk and talk, talk as you might, 

Let your voice sound high above the heights;

Kids are wiser than most humans know,

They know who friends are, so no grudge they hold,

True friends are friends who don't chat alone."

There was another time, during the heat of day,

When the dews had all dried, and time too small to waste,

Walking by the yellow, and staring at the blue,

I trod across the shore way, beside the ocean view,

Walking and thinking about life.

Quickly, an accident, and I was sure to fall,

Two teenage 'Messis' pushed me, dashing after a ball;

I looked around and caught my breath

And saw the boys who'd broken my rest,

Running and chasing in the sand.

Side by side, with their hands swinging through the air,

Their legs running and galloping, like the wheels of the fair;

Sweat dribbling, laughter bustling,

Arm over arm, the boys there smiling,

And then it came to me ...

"Do, do, whatever you wish

Don't give a damn or just give it quick;

Kids have companions 'cause they're the same at heart,

You cannot make friends for them, you cannot choose or chart,

For true friends are play pals and are the same."

Yet again, before the night once fell,

Whether yesterday or last year, I really can't tell;

I was strolling up the hill way, up and down the heights,

And could see the city faraway - oh what a place of sight!

An evening for all mankind.

It dawned on me too late, that under a tree

Could be the best of love, there, it looked like a dream!

Two young people sitting under the tree,

Young grown-ups, male and female, their eyes together did meet,

Looking and loving under the leaves.

These two tender birds, their hands clasped,

Side by side they were, ignoring who passed;

With eyeball to eyeball, they spoke to one another,

With compassion and truth, professed devotion to each other,

And then I knew the words to say ...

"Oh what love! How boundless it is!

How it longs for all to be under its wings!

Kids know better how to share the gift of love;

With innocence and simplicity, they'll rise higher than the sun,

For true friends are friends whose love never ends."

What have you to say to me now,

That friendship is cheap, is simple and sound?

Tell you what, sadly, you don't know

That the gift of love is eternal, or do you have to be told

Why Love has brought you into this world?

Then again, it is the truth to tell,

"True friends know that true love is never self."

So here I stand, by way of the green, shores and leaves,

And here I am, I declare my greatest defeat 

In my battle against Love, now this I say:

"Friendship, for me, is all that matters today, 

And I cannot lie but cry, that love empowers life;

So say what you want, do what you want

Yet I will never deter from what I was taught ...

"True friends are a blessing that ever to life was brought,

They are never alone, they are the same, their love never ends."

Loved this poem? Then why not share and leave a comment? That'll be really appreciated :-)

Tobi Ayeni

Photo by Jack Redgate

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Hi, I'm Tobi, and writing is what I like doing. Everything I post here is my own content, so don't forget to credit me if you share. Thank you :-)