TONGUES OF POETRY (ISSUE 7)

TONGUES OF POETRY (ISSUE 7)

MMANYA NKWỤ

by Amarachi Attamah

 

Gbọm! gbọm! gbọm!

Nke a bụ ụda gị ma ị gafewa akpịrị

Na-awụda n’afọ, na enye obi añụrị

Jiri ọchị tee ndị mmadụ n’ihu dịka ude

 

Ọ bụ gị bụ akara otenkwu ji nwe aha

E wezuga gị, otenkwu agaghị echi ọzọ

Ọ bụ ihe onye na-eme ka eji etu ya aha

Aka abụọ ka a na-ekwe onye mmanya ya dị mma

 

Onye riri ezigbo nri igbo, jiri gị wuda ya na-enwe añụrị

Nri a kwọrọ aka wee sie nkeọma dịka

Abacha, achicha, akpụ, ụkwa, ọkpa, na ji a hụrụ ahụ

Ofe akwụ, ofe owere, ofe ọha, ofe onugbu na ofe ọkazi

Ofe achị, ofe achara, ofe nsala, ofe egwusi na ofe ukpọ

Kedu maka nkwọbi, ụgba a gwọrọ agwọ na anụ nchị

O  wee jiri mmanya ọma nkwu elu wudaa ya

Chai! Nke a  bụ nnọọ ikpọfe mmadụ eluigwe

 

Onye ọbụla ñụrụ gị na-enwe obi ụtọ

Maka na ị na-emeda obi nke ọma

Ị ñụ gị dị ka mkaparịta ụka n’etiti mmadụ na chukwu

Maka ị bụ ọgwụ dị omimi n’ụdị mmiri bụ ọnatara chi

 

Mmanya nkwu… mmanya igbo ji enwe ọnọdụ

Ị bụ ọ batara Ọgbakọ, ọñụ adị

Ị bụ oji nwayọ a sachapụ nsogbu na-eri mmụọ

Ị bụ njikọ ụmụnne, ụmụnna, ikwu na ibe, obodo na obodo

Ị bụ ọzọ, ọzọ ndị ọzọ a na-agbara izu ọma

 

 

Amarachi Attamah

Coordinator— Tongues of Poetry

(Nwadịọramma)

Writer, Performance Poet, Broadcaster.

***

 

OBODO IGBO AMAKA

by John Chizoba Vincent

 

Aba di nma na anya

Onitsha bu oke osisi

Mbaise bu nwanyi oma

Ohafia bu nwa  ugo

Enugu atoka  ka mmanu anu.

Onye ekwuzina nke Ojoo na igbo amaka.

 

Ndi gara akwukwo  no na ala  igbo

ndi nkwado  zoro oke na ama anyi

Ego eji alu  nwanyi bu so aja

Ji di kwa na Oba anyi riri nne

Ala igbo bu so nma  Karia Obodo ozo

Obu ya bu ndabere Obodo Nigeria.

 

Anyi were asa  umunwayi kariri onwa

eluigwe na nmuo Miri di na elu uwa.

umu Nwoke anyi bu di aha na ndi ahia

Obodo nile  mana igbo bu igbo

Obodo anyi enweghi ntupo na nsogbu

So nso udo  ka eji mara  ndi igbo.

 

Bia Aba ka imuta ka eji aru akpukpo ukwu,

Ga Onitsha ga muo ahia  ma  muo kwa

Ihe nile  ichoro imu  na upper iweka.

Ga Arochukwu ga furu obi igbo nile.

Enugu bu so nma nma,  Awka bu eluigwe.

Igbo amaka, Igbo atoka Karia mmanu anu.

 

Azikiwe si na ala  igbo

Ojukwu bu Onye igbo na ala igbo

Aguiyi si na ama Anambra

Chinua Achebe  bu kwa Onye ogidi na Igbo

Ala anyi were mmadu , ala anyi were ikwu na ibe na ebe nile uwa sotoro.

 

Ala  anyi were manu  na omenala,

ala igbo bu udara mecha ihe nzuko

Onye oma eji  aga mba ka obu,

Obodo anyi bu akwa  oyinbo.

Onye eti gbula  nwanne ya

Na Chukwu nyere  anyi ihe nile.

 

John Chizoba Vincent creates resonant, penetrating and meaningful words with his pen. He lives in Lagos from where he writes.