SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION III (ISSUE 8)
PINNED DREAM | Helen Gyigya
Last night, I had a dream
I saw PIN, rising like the break of dawn
Its glory flurrying through the skies
And in accelerated velocity
Sprouting forth and breaking grounds
In my dream,
Gathered around the banquet table
Are poets, authors, great and tall
Feasting on words marbled barbeque
With recipes brewing from ‘parker’s’ kitchen
And plunders from the ‘daughter’s farm
In this dream,
With Sir Eriata leading on
Words are spiraled in fractals
Thoughts crystallized in an icy blast
Vibes oozed through a ‘glassy door’
Soaring waves like never before
This pinned dream,
A dream envisaged, with Kola engaged
In a pinning pinging jamboree
Ventured in a word hunting spree
Brewing hot! And fresh!
Like a hot cup of early morning coffee!
Helen Gyigya studied Public Administration at Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo. She lives in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.
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SERVITUDE | Nwargbo Ebubechukwu Bruno
You may grumble, but pray you are not heard
But don’t utter nor reason rebel
For our burden is wealthily weighty
Ten folds your assistance to us
Open the doors to our flights and our mansions
Spread carpets and flowers on the lane we tread
Bow your heads low and close your eyes to our tete-a-tete
You may hear us talking, but don’t think of talking
You may see us drinking, but don’t think of drinking
You may see us eating, but don’t think of eating
Just swallow your saliva and keep watching
Don’t fantasize lest you will stop focusing
And then lose your living
Nothing must happen to our hairs crowned with many powers
A drop of our blood and the earth will drink your blood
Your execution needs no trial. If trial must be,
then we will sit at the bench and swing the scale
Your loved ones will hang their breadth
and accompanying you to sheol
No escape for you your fate is tied to our mood
Before our guests look strong and ready
Look strong even if as dry as leaves
Keep bold faces like lions
Over our tables, beds, doors and gates
And be ready for vendetta to keep us in power
In your dreams if snoozes try to bend your eyelashes, then take this oath
‘Lord, yours forever!
You are our hero born to rule alone
Your sceptre holds our life
Your hairs holds our breathe hovering over them and you can squash them
Your shoes are more significant than our bones
Your drinks our blood may become
Yours alone, perpetually born to rule alone’
Against the axe is the head of a servant
Saying what his heart does not say.
Nwargbo Ebubechukwu Bruno is a young talented poet, essayist, speech writer and an influential public speaker. He studies English language in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. Bruno has received so many awards and commendations for both academic and leadership excellence. He has a short story OASIS OF PEACE to his credit, among other unpublished works in drama, poetry and prose. Some of poems has been short listed in some literary competitions and journals including Nigerian Students Poetry Prize 2017, Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest, and would subsequently appear in their anthologies. He loves music,writing and nature studies.