WHAT WAS THAT NEVER WAS

An escape to the morning sun
From the bitter harshness
Of a frosty night
A welcome respite for sight
Clear and sharp features
Trademark perfection
The handiwork of the gods
We conversed in a strange tongue
The language of silence
Understood by just us two
The mystery of the universe
Unfolding like the morning blossom
Of the wild red rose
Lost in heavenly trance
As time mounted wheels
Faster than the speed of light
That seemed to dance us dizzy
But then came the clouds
Stealth, by all means inevitable
Followed by the thunderous bark
And the tears of farewell
That washed off all disguises
The temporary illusion of perfection
An opium for time travel
To what was that never was

03:12:12






Malcolm O. Ifi.

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

AN ODE TO OUR MOTHER

Oh mother!
How have we used you!
You gave us an abode
You gave us nature
You gave us beauty
But we wanted more
We used our brains and our hands
And we discovered
We created and we created
We were exceeding glad
Because we were bold
So we took as we discovered use

You gave to your detriment
Your generosity, your undoing
You held nothing back
We are your children
What you have is ours to use
And so freely, you gave all
Our unquenchable thirst for knowledge
Our insatiable hunger for novelty
Our unnecessary love for domination
And we bruised you
Oh, we bruised you sore!
Your once unblemished beauty
Is now a distant memory
The ever-doting mother
Who lacked vocal prowess
For her self-defense
Her love was all about giving
Giving to her plundering offspring
Now  she lays in her death bed
Having met her elastic limit
Her substance drained for energy
Her umbrella in tatters
Barely keeping out the harsh sun
Her tears come in floods
She wheezes and sneezes
The magnitude of her shivers
Brings to the ground
Our skyward monuments
Her lands have become barren
As she grows bald
In the epiphany that followed
We see how we neglected you
Our hope, our sustenance
Our promise for generations unborn

Hang on mother
With many tears we plead
Not all our brothers understand
The gravity of your illness
We will spread your selfless gospel
That gives all till there is no more
We love you but you loved us more
Your over-indulgence left us pampered
That we failed to see the signs
Have mercy mother
And do not die

3:12: 2012.

Malcolm O. Ifi.

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

COME TO EDEN

We love her but she hurts us
Not by her will
But by the will of those
She surrendered to
Our hearts bleed for her because
Her protectors rape her
And plunder her
And when that time comes
They come with gifts and flowers
Kisses and sweet words
And almost immediately
Her amnesia sets in
Or is it hope of change?
She is soft
She is kind
She is rich
She is beautiful
Above all, she is naïve
She has never known better
So her expectations are low

Come to us, we say
We will treat you better
Our heart yearns to have you
To hold you
To love you
We want to show you
The world anew
And see you realize
Your true potential
And put that smile
That melted hearts
Back on your face
So that we may feel joy
And content
At knowing you are ours
And we are yours
Come to us, O sleeping beauty
Let us change course
To calmer waters; to paradise
And leave those old farts behind.

Malcolm O. Ifi.

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

WHEN ALL THAT IS LEFT

When all that is left
Is a photo and a memory
We long for what was
The beautiful past that faded
From the physical to ephemeral
A flash that dances
With taunts in its springs
The future we once held dear
Dissolved into nothingness
A futile grasp at smoke
Memories and forgetfulness
Defining the fine line
Between elation and deflation
To have what is no more

Trapped in time
The images peer back
That smile that is forever
That outing that remained still
That love, forever unmatched
That bosom friendship
Fresh like yesterday
But long gone
The pride in father’s eyes
The unconditional support and belief
In mother’s eyes
The eternal defense of a sibling
That moment of pride and victory
Sweet youth, than ran after time

Forever a reminder
Of what was which is no more
A pain, but joy to have known
Scars, scabs and the new man
The tears in laughter
Untouchable visions of lessons
The essence of all things past
That live within
Rejuvenated by thoughts so dear
Forever transmitted from heart to heart
Lips to lips and song to song
But as fleeting as they come

Malcolm O. Ifi.

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

First Published on October 29, 2012. 5:39 at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/when-all-that-is-left/

UNSTRESSER

A relief in time of pain
Morphine to make me numb
The lazy smile on my face
At nothing funny in particular
Like in a room full of nitrous oxide
And I see the funny side
Of the cruel tide

Far from me, but I feel you always
Like a pleasant leech
You cling to me everywhere
I converse with you in my heart
I kiss you in my thoughts
And I perceive your scent in the wind
As clear as your voice in my head

A day is never complete
Without a dream romance
Where your heart danced with mine
That dance of love where all fades
In that one moment of understanding
And afterwards, still we lay
And drift to the world of white and grey

Malcolm O. Ifi

First published on October 23, 2012. 10:02pm at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/unstresser/

KHALEESI AND I

A penny for your thoughts
A dollar for a sighting
Silver for the music in your voice
And all I own for a feel
Of you right next to me

The sun would shine again
As if it were lit in my heart
For a thousand years
Time would stand still
For a chance to capture every moment
The wind shall sing us songs
And we shall sway to her rhythm
While locked in tight embrace

The rain will fall to our delight
As we ponder together
The mysteries of life and love
Through the wetness and the cold
We shall cling to each other
And our warmth shall birth the sun

The strength of a king combined
With the priceless worth of his KhaleesiA song for legend

Malcolm O. Ifi.

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

First Published October 21st, 2012. 4:24pm at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/khaleesi-and-i/

RETURN TO HUMANITY

The upright man
Desired tools, and tools he created
With this was his life made easier
With less crude methods of survival
Thus came the thinking cap
And the fiery pursuit of knowledge
The mind turned out
To be a far greater tool
Drunken by new found power
And the endless possibilities
Afforded by this thought machine
He sought to conquer the world
Not once refraining from
Dishing death to fellows
Absolute power he chased
Like a fair maiden
Till he gorged himself
On the blood of the simple

Time flew, agitations grew
A new thought awoke
And set the hearts of the young ablaze
Tolerance, was the gospel
Only peace could sustain
The remnants of our frail nature
But he arose again
Time tempering not evil machinations
Corrupt thoughts spread like cancer
Blood, bombs and charred flesh
Smoke, debris, chaos, leveled cities
To bring a smile on the face
Of the blood thirsty demon
With the mask of an angel

Take a cue from nature
Whose light shine on all
Whose rain discriminates not
The elements are all our friends
Regarding not greatness, colour or creed
But the right to be
Only, the right to be

Malcolm O. Ifi

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

First Published October 8th, 2012. 7:37 am at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/return-to-humanity/

A TALE OF SORROW...AND OF HOPE FOR TOMORROW

There was a dream once
Of a beautiful young belle
Soft spoken and endowed
Versatile and well skilled
Courted by many
Till a subtle maneuver
And not-too-subtle overtures
Made her the unwilling maid of another
She became the victim
Of domestic violence
As he violated her, time and time again
Her children arose in anger
In defiance they stood up to him
And like King Pharoah of old
He let the people go
They began the Isrealite journey
Burning with hope and excitement
The future looked bright
Green land lay at the horizon
The wilderness the only obstacle
Armed with compass and map
They began the tedious trip
And conflict emerged
Coups and counter-coups
Brothers killed brothers
To lead mother by the hand
Mother shed tears of sorrow
For her bountiful jewels
Inspired insatiable greed
52 years on, mother still weeps
For her sons developed
Oedipal complex
And violated her over and over again
She cried silent tears
As she was plundered without mercy
Her once radiant beauty

REALITY AND ALL SHE IS

The world stopped with knowing
The pain, indescribable
A mask so well worn
Turned the truth to one big lie
Hearts ached, tears shed
Re-assembling the broken pieces
Was all that was left
Life must go on
And so did it
But the wound never healed
The scars lied
Underneath the surface
It festered, irritably
The price paid for lack of vigilance

Reality is the pain
Preparation is never absolute
Fore knowledge notwithstanding
Provides no insulation when she hits
For she hits hard
Below the belt, is where she hits
Memories fade, reluctantly
Amidst clutches of desperation
Reality births clarity
As those moments are left behind

THE SONG OF REDEMPTION

Lost in the deep for years on end
Surrounded by total darkness
Choked by absolute nothingness
Plagued with fear of the unknown
As time crept, in meaningless existence

Tormented by my thoughts
Taunted by the world
I retreated back to my shell
To find comfort in loneliness
And make peace with my misery

The world is cruel; as are the people in it
Even when hands were extended
I cringed, preferring my solace of pain
Nagging doubts over good intentions
Suspicion bordering on paranoia

It was a world without light
A world without Christ, but he came
His presence illuminated my dungeon
His kind voice spoke to my heart
His hands wiped away my tears

My world lit up as bright as neon
For he infused my dark soul with light
My eyes shed tears no more
For He gave me the cloak of laughter
Now, all I see is beauty in the world

Malcolm O. Ifi

Follow on twitter @saymalcolm

First Published September 28, 2012. 11:59am at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/the-song-of-redemption/

TO THE HEART THAT BLENDS WITH MINE

Do you believe in fate?

Is there truly a force on the planet that unites two people of entirely different backgrounds and orientations?

Could it be that all past experiences, both negative and positive was all about this one moment when we would meet and the earth would stand still?

Could this be that unique moment of clarity where we find similarity in difference, unity in diversity, harmony in chaos, good in evil, joy in sadness, love in a world full of hate?

I had a dream once. A dream of the perfect blend of colors making a rainbow; a dream about the cleansing power of music; a dream about the beauty of art; a dream of peace and bliss; a dream about time and how she became my friend.

That dream was about you. I’ve never met you but you’re a voice in my head. I’ve never touched you but you’ve touched my heart in ways you cannot imagine. I’ve never kissed you but my knees buckle at the thought. I’ve never seen you bare but there’s a longing in my loins.

Our souls met. Our souls mated. Our souls became mates…soul mates.

My imaginations are wild now. My dreams have become feverish. Its always about you. I try to fight you off. I fail because, in reality I duel against myself. I don’t want to go there but now I’m exhausted. I finally find peace in total surrender. It certainly is that time.

Do you believe in fate? Do you believe that God gave me a gift so that I could call out to you? From the wilderness of despair, from the forest of death; you heard my song and you came to me.

Can we walk out of here…together? Do we escape into the sunlight, and walk arm in arm by the sea shore?

Or are we doomed to get lost in this maze?

Malcolm O. Ifi.

First Published August 26th, 2012. 1:10pm at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/to-the-heart-that-blends-with-mine/

THE THUG WHO LOVED

It was sad to hear his story
The tale of a thug who loved
The man who ached for change
And when she came along
He had found his escape
Day by day, he wooed
With words and songs
Letters and poetry
Night by night, he lived his fantasy
Where they belonged together
Dreams came true
His joy untold
Friends and family, he abandoned
Sparing attention on none but her
Family complained, friends grumbled
But he was struck
Irrational became rational
Illogical became logical
Senseless became sense
Time dulled the mind
And blindness crept unseen, unchecked
Till he became a shadow of himself
Her will, his hands
And paradise was created
A world for just two
As everything else faded
All else now insignificant worries
In fairness, she loved
Almost as much as he
But she had a dreadful secret
One he was so blissfully unaware
With great caution, she moved
And on occasion
The truth he stumbled upon
He saw as laughable and shoved aside
The deception was complete
She could do no wrong
She grew bolder
And more reckless
And soon, friends spoke up
Without the fear of alienation
He chose to thread softly
He’d rather not be made a fool of
But he was eventually
Shock came into reluctant hands
Heart gradually fell apart
But a thug is a thug
Vengeance he meted out
Betrayal, he wouldn’t tolerate
Satisfaction came not
Neither did the heart mend
So he set sail
A journey to the end of the world
In search of everything else
But love.

Malcolm O. Ifi

First published July 30th, 2012. 11:57pm at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/the-thug-who-loved/

LOVE DANCE

Look into my eyes
Can you see the light you lit?
Feel my heart
The drums are out tonight
Can you feel the rhythm?
Can you hear the song?
Come close
My strong arms will hold you tight
As we sway to the music of the night

In this island of my mind
We are Adam and Eve
As naked as birth
Pure in heart, partners for life
In whim and in sin
Nothing is forbidden
The moon smiles at us
The wind and trees; our dance troupe
This must be paradise

We pant as we dance
In unison, as one
The sand grateful for the sweat
That pours from our brows
The logs on the bonfire
Crackles and comes alive
Edging us on
Its cool heat protecting us
From the excitement of the winds

Nature is beautiful
Love is divine
Inseparable, we are
Bound by the night and dance
You are my queen of the night
I am the king of hearts
We come alive when we are alone
We own the night
And the island is our home

Malcolm O. Ifi

First published February 14th, 2012.

HYBERNIA

In the struggle to get ahead
A man must do that which he must
Toil as much as you crave
Or crave as much as you plot
With all hopes and aspirations
The dignity of labor rewarding
Sometimes late, other times not
For the unfortunate, never
To whom is the secrets of life given?
None, for we all journey in the dark
Stumble and crawl
At the weak light from tunnel’s end
Passion and energy
Constantly at the ears
With whispers of encouragement
Oh, the folly of hope
For tomorrow is not promised
Through the thorny path
That must bring scars
Scars that must build character
Character that must buy tenacity
And eventually…God willing
Arrival at the land of light
Never take for granted
The sunset, the soft glare of moonlight
Nature’s abundant wonders
And the beauty of everyday living
Those few seconds of calm
The scarce devotion to pleasure
And the priceless worth
of those little things
For that place of solace
Is your peace, your assylum
Your Hybernia…

Malcolm O. ifi

First published on July 14, 2012. 09:42am at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/hybernia/

SWEETEST DAYS TO COME

Days turn to nights
And nights to days
But my strength is renewed each morn
With eyes glued to the horizon
My heart is as expectant as ever
The loneliness inside dims in comparison
To the bundle of joy you’ll be
Wounds become scabs; scabs become scars
But scars pale to insignificance
As wasted years fizzle out
While what lays ahead unfolds
The heart will love again
As it is meant to
Love to depths unfathomable
An eternal flame of purity
Lighting up my world again
The pages are fresh
Together, we’ll pen the future
The canvass awaits
For a Michelangelo masterpiece
So whisper a dream to me tonight
Of the sweetest days to come

Malcolm O. Ifi

First published on June 22, 2012. 4:44pm at http://saymalcolm.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/sweetest-days-to-come-poetry/