AT THE BEACH
At the beach,
I’m enthralled by the effervescent happiness
Of tumbling waves rushing to lick the mouth of the seas
At the beach,
I’m amazed at the lavish stretch of wet sands
And their mock artistry at moulding the soles of my feet
At the beach,
I’m enraptured by the flowery tone of sea breeze
Reinvigorating my being after a hydro-therapy
At the beach,
I’m seduced by the magic of optical illusion
That makes it possible for the sea to touch the sky
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THE SUN
Sun, in all your royal brilliance
Night still swallows you up
Like a coin dropped into the sea
Sun, in all your arrogant grandeur
Rainstorms still frighten you
Into hiding behind the stygian clouds
Sun, in spite of your harsh pronouncements
Over the desert territories
The cacti still defy all your scorching decrees!
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THE RAINBOW
She was crowned the fairest of all queens
As at when the earth was still in its teens
She was conceived between the sun and the frosty air
And born with all the radiance of a celestial heir
She bent to charming men with her delicate bow
Replete with colours: red, orange, yellow and co
She never ceased being a wonder to billion eyes
Celebrated legendary queen of the skies
Then being so delicate and so frail in shape and in form
She sought respite from the threats of thunderstorms
The Lord had pity and permitted her a transient reign
With no great task than to forestall the rains.
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A WATERFALL SUNSET
The evening sun now rich in gold
Casts beams of amber on a silver cascade
The falling aqua is now a mixture of gold dusts
O the flow is a shade of pale brandy, more
Like my usual Lipton tea
And it looks as if the sun has ignited fire
Inside the water!
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ZEPHYR
What tickles the face of the river to smile
In this gently spreading circular waves?
What sways all these vegetation to the rhythm
Of unheard beats pulsating in the air?
What excites these leaves on the tree to tremble
Like a body suffering a fit of ague?
And what nudges on these harmattan-dry leaves
To rustle along paths of parched ground?
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(c) Dr. Chima Iwuchukwu
Western critics have been saying we have no nature poets like William Wordsworth and the Romantic others, but if you continue to write and develop the craft, your voice could just feel that gap (if the ugly polity does not win you over)! Keep writing! Senator Ihenyen is the author of Colourless Rainbow:Poetry of My Childhood (forthcoming, Coast2Coast).
Excellent! My opinion is your poems are rich in abstract lexi-polish and “meaning”, but poor in real human-life, poor in the ordinary. Probably a reflection of my litero-mediocrity.
I completely disagree with Ofoegbu. These are Nature Poems aptly titled Sceneries. When will African writers understand that Poetry is not always about drawing empathy or lending voice to mawkish lamentations? Can we not in the midst of our numerous conflicts and pains find space to admire nature and draw inspiration from nature? I think the above poems are unique and that other poets should expand the horizon of this genre.
You poems have an appealing voice. I bet you are in the league of promising Nigerian poets. I have to see your other works to make my conclusive remarks….