I have stood Barefoot in the sun
Wading through the blushing shallows
In the Oasis of the Ahaggar Mountains.
My chest is hard and brown.
I have collected the tears Of the Boswellia Sacra
as they mourn the early Dawn Sun.
I have intoxicated my self,
Consuming the hot molten rum of Dates And Myrrh.
And carelessly wandered off
In the Perils of the blistering sun.
At nighttime,
When the moon casts its heavy cool glow
The Ancient Temples burn away the tears
A hot languid incense steams
From the burning sands
showing you the way.
Green is my colour,
Nigeria is Green,
Africa is Green,
Our land is Green.
My heart is Green,
God is Green.
When the rain stopped,
And the storm ceased,
The wind calmed,
And the weather cool.
Then appeared up in the sky,
An arc of colours,
Spread over the blues,
A sign of hope.
The cloud is clear,
The firmament clean,
The mountains glow,
Reflecting the colours of hope.
Leaves dance as trees move,
Grass clap as the birds sing,
Peace is still,
As shown by the rainbow.
Ugonna Wachuku
Prologue
To fill empty hours of my despair and positivity; to occupy
these fleeing hours that seem to have no meaning; just to
find fulfilling reality to the pain I face, let me write you this
letter; hoping that my intention would be well understood;
believing that whatever I feel for this being on the path to
love and life would be made known when the next new
moon brightens our calm sky; in order to bring hope,
inspiration and smiles to the bleeding soul of each
humankind who fatally face persecution and
fundamental human rights violation.
May we have good governance, servant leadership, love,
human rights, peace, security, abiding electricity, healthcare,
education, economic viability, prosperity, durable roads,
functional public transportation, national pride, global
respect, accountability and sustainable development for
our enduring, protesting plus "suffering and smiling"
people.
This is a mind journey in the being and soul that I am.
In my native Igbo language, we call it: akọ na uche;
meaning common sense and good thought. Let me,
in this poetic letter, take the mantle of good thought
and common sense into that unfathomable realm of
the human mind and essence in motion. This is the
realization of all that makes us human. Whether
we are humane is another matter.
Let me, therefore, write this letter to you; believing
that the meaning of all I desire and cherish for the
survival and oneness of humanity would be seen in
that same spirit of peace, love, creativity, innovation,
sustainability, inspiration and solidarity amongst
humankind. May we see, hear and understand.
May we be.
The Letter:
Beloved:
Many days ago, I left home.
You were not there; but I had
to take you with me in order to
find meaning to the new person I
would be through creativity
and innovation.
You were not there. So, I resolved
not to leave you behind shadows and
dark clouds. Many streams flowed in
my heart. I was so lonely. Yet not
alone. I was on my way to this new
life, hope and beginning. Yet, I
knew brooks in your thought. Those
brooks embraced and watered my effort
to find that nature of life in an
environment so peaceful yet painful.
My faith was strong. I had every
firm belief that I would make it.
You gave your blessing and love
even before I asked. Did you not
tell me what to wear? Did you not
affirm that my faith will surely
see me through in that ever
present Sea Walker's
unfailing love and care?
When you walked away, a windy,
calm, refreshing breeze from you
embraced my being. I felt angelic
hands on my head and shoulders.
Thoughts of you followed me to the
end of blue, midnight clouds and
skies. I was breathless. I hoped to
see earth's coming new day.
In my dreams; in my thoghts:- those
thoughts you posses, I saw your face
that blue, cloudless night. I saw
inspiring hand of beauty and dignity
which you placed on my life. I waited
to embrace your new rainbow. Then,
I waited on the beach of your love
and solidarity to ponder and dream
good, new dreams for you and for
me, for humankind in need and pain.
I write to you today, in my pain;
in my despair; in my uwavering
hope; in my uplifting joy, in my
loneliness and calm uncertainty;
just to let you know that love will
always conquer; even when its not
given or given but not accepted.
You mean hope itself to me.
You mean loving thought and
the will to survive to my
being. You are life. You are
love so brilliant. And this
loving brilliance I must follow
in order to remain human with
humaneness; for us and for
our enduring, protesting plus
"suffering and smiling" people;
because through this devastating
pain, meaningful freedom, sustainable
liberation and hopeful reality must
emerge to plant our inspiring people
on flourishing "green pastures"
of this blessed land.
With love and every beautiful wish:
Ugonna Wachuku