Language is your identity and preserve of your history and culture.
TONGUES OF POETRY is a column in PIN’S POETRY QUARTERLYMagazine, dedicated to promoting traditional literature, poetry, arts, and the like. It showcases the art of poetry and other arts where your dialect would be the oil for getting the dish down the throat.
All languages and dialects in Nigeria are promoted on this column. It is an opportunity to promote who you are and where you come from.
Coordinator— Tongues of Poetry
Amarachi C. Attamah.
(Nwadịọramma)
Writer, Performing poet, Broadcaster.
Momoh Ayuba Danjumah known as PEN-CHANT hails from Ajaokuta area of kogi state, Nigeria, He is a young writer and a poet who lives in Lagos.
ÁNÈ WÁ
ATÉ ÔGANÉ ÁPÁTA
ATÈ ÓGANÈ ÒJUWÒ
ÒGÒGÒ MÉLÈLÈ ANÈ WÀ
ÒLÀI WÈ ÀKÚKÒLÀ ÈYÒ NYÙ
WÀ ETÌ LUGBÒ AMENWU
URÉJU KÉLI
ÁNÈ WÁ
ÀMÉNWU ÍJÀGA DÚ KIÀ BÒNÉJO
KIÀ NO CHÒNA ALÍ ENYO
TÓNÁ ÒKPÒKPÁ ENYU DÚKÉTÉNÉ
ÉDO WA CHE’BO
ÁWA ÁMENWU ÕDÉCHIA
ELÉI KA’CHE KPEKÓ EFUWE
KPAÍ ÚFÉDÒ ADIKO EBÉI LÉ
ÁMU’UCHOLO WA CHÉ DÁGÓ
PKAKA’A ALU KÍA RABOKIA
FEDO NYU EDO ICHE FUTANÉ
KWÉFÚ EJÚ EBI LÉFU ONÁDÚ
ÁNÉ WA'(KOGI STATE)
CHE’KEJU ÍYANYO KO’AMENWU
ENYO KPUCHÉ LÉFU ONA WE’WE.
Chinwe Okoro who hails from Amiyi, Umuakastudied at University of Nigeria Nsukka where she obtained an honours degree in English. She also holds a certificate in Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Maiduguri. She is currently resident in Abuja.
AkwaNwa Biafra…
Echiche e gbuola m
Obi a gbawaala m na-afụ m ka Ose
Anya mmiri m a taala ebe m n’ebe akwa ndeeri
Ọbara na-apụtazị m n’anya
Ọkwa e dikata ndidi obi a gbawaa
A nọzị m n’iru uju maka na ụmụ Biafra na-achọ I kpafụ
Dịka ụmụ atụrụ n’enweghị ndị ndu
Ọkwa a sị na a naghị a nọ mmadụ mmadụ siwe mmụọ mmụọ
Ka m jụọ ajụjụ; kedu ka ihe agwọ mụrụ si chọọ ị nwe ọdụ mkpụmkpụ?
Agụ ọ na-amụ Ugwumagala?
Zaanụ m ajụjụ ndị a maka na isi m e jula.
Ọkwa onye ya na ndị mmụọ n’eri nri n’eji ogologo ngaji,
mana ụmụ Biafra e sorola ndị mmụọ bia ọgụ na be ndị mmadụ.
Biafra, nne ukwu, nne ọma!
Nne mmiri ara ya n’azụ mba nri
Nne nku ya n’eyere mba nri
Ebee ka i nọ ụlọ gị a na-agba ọkụ?
Ọkwa ahịa a zụchaala, ndị jere ahịa a lọtala
Nne, ọ bụ na Ị chọghị i lọta?
Biko lọtanụ na ụmụ gị na-achọ ị kpafu
Onye ọbụla e tinyela isi n’ụzọ dị ya mma.
Ha a tufuola udo zuru ọgba aghara
Ndị okenye a nọrọla n’ụlọ ewu a na-achọ ịmụ n’ọgbụ
Ha a chụrụla ego na ọchịchị tinye isi n’ọhịa
Hapụ ọkụ i gụnyere ha n’aka
Ha e yirila akwa ebe ndị ha n’elekọta na-agba ọtọ
Ha n’eri na nkwakọ ebe ndị ha n’elekọta na-anwụ n’ụbiam na agụụ
Chukwu Abiama, nwoke oboghoro anya
Ị na-ahụkwa ihe na-eme n’obodo a?
Onye nzọpụta ụmụ mmadụ,
Biko gbata ọsọ bia wepu aka enwe n’ofe tupu ọ ghọrọ aka mmadụ
Bia gosi ụmụ Bifra na ọchịchịrị na ihe e nweghị mmekọ
Mee ka ha mata na nwa eze a naghị a bụ nwa odibo
Mee ka ha mara na udo ka mma
Eke kere ụwa, obi m ga-a dajụ ma Ị za m ekpere a.
Nnenna Ihebom is a writer based in Owerri, Imo state. She writes in Igbo and English languages. Some of her works include Odogwu be Anyi (winner ANA/Ken Nnamani prize for Igbo literature, 2007), The Web (winner, Chevron prize for environmental writing 2008), Omaricha, Abu umuaka, a collection of Igbo poems for young readers, Mkpanaka Igbo maka umuakwukwo, Patriots and Sinners(Nigerian Writers Series) and many others. She is a member of Association of Nigerian Authors and Mbari iterary society Owerri.
Ejije Ejije by Nnenna Ihebom
Ejije ejije gbu mmadu,
Jere jere gbu mmadu
Ejije ejije gbu mmadu
Jere jere gbu mmadu
Ishi a kpara akpa gbu mmadu
Jere jere gbu mmadu
Uri e tere ete gbu mmadu
Jere jere gbu mmadu
Aka m fere efe gbu mmadu
Jere jere gbu mmadu
Ihieee he he he he heeei!
Ochi s[ ya meruo m ahu o
Kpaa m ishi I kpara Mgbeke
Ishi g[ na Mgbeke o bu ofu?
Onyoroomee
Ojereomee
Ishi g[ o wxdi akuoyibo?
Ha tee gi etee
Ha hio g[ ahioo
Ha bubaa, gi abubaa
Ha tekoro , gi etekoro
Ha zolie, gi esegelie
Jikerekwa ida nga ibe gi dara
Eke kechara gi kwe n’isi
Si na o diwo mma
Na o kuderele
Nji di uto n’akpukpoahu
Nji d[ ogo n’agiri isi
Ntutu rijuru afo doro n’ebube
Anya di uke na-adoro anya
Ngwa leenu ihe ejije mere gi
Ucha anwuruanwu si n’etemete
Isi ahuhuruede, mkponwuru isi mmuo
Anya mkpuruego adigboroja
Mbq agu e dere uri onwu
Akpukpoxukwu ha ka ugwu Ekwema
Leedi ihe ejije mere gi?
Oyiuwegbaraoto, o no n’ukwu akwukwo?
Amamihe kechiri ihe bara uru na ngwugwu
Iberiibe atosaara ya ijiji na och[chara
Ya aburu ara zara ekike
Legodu ihe ejije mere gi
Ihu na-acha ka ire oku
Aka na-acha ka mkpuru ugba
Okpa a na-achazi ka ubemgba
Chai! Ngwa leenu
I hxla ihe ejije mere gi?
Ha zaa Gragrakwin gi esoro zaa
Gragrakwin q pxtara gini?
Gi elewe anya n’elu
N’omenala, I chitaghi aja
N’omenelu, g[ adajie aka
Okwuniga, I bx usu nwa mpere?
Elu adighi mma, ala ka njo
Cha[! Leenu ihe ejije mere gi
Guzo chim ka nwaafo
Gbadesie ukwu ike n’ala
Zaruo aha gi n’isi isi
Jiri ejije ejije luo okpiri
Ka o daba n’olulu onwu
ka nke ha bu nke ha
Ka nke anyi burukwanu nke anyi
Nke anyi ji aka abxq bagidesie ike.