Otubelu Chinazom Chukwudi is the winner of the March 2019 edition of the monthly Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest (BPPC) which was themed “RHYME FOR CHILDREN”.
Otubelu is a Nigerian poet from Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State. The engineering graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) has received several literary awards. He has previously won the BPPC three times: February 2018, August 2017, and May 2016, and was runner-up of the 2016 and 2018 editions of the Albert Jungers Poetry Prize (AJPP).
The serial BPPC winner’s 27-line rhyming poem, ‘SLEEP, SLEEP’ edged ‘SHALL WE SWEAR?’ by Ololade Akinlabi Ige to second place while Emmanuel Faith, who was the 1st-Runner-Up in the last edition, moved one spot down to Third place for his poem ‘LIKE BABIES’.
Below is the winning poem:
SLEEP, SLEEP by Otubelu, Chinazom Chukwudi
Sleep, sleep, child of the world, sleep!
The tender stars are about to peep.
Close your eyes, snore gently and rest,
Sniffing the warm embers of mummy's breast.
Dream of the sun and dream of the moon,
Dream of tomorrow, of glory and swoon.
Mumble humble prayers with thy infant lips,
For nights shall no more steal the joy of mummy's hips.
Sleep, sleep, child of the world, sleep!
Daddy's sword is about to creep
Beyond the enemy's bloodthirsty shield,
That his glorious victory may yield
Hope of a new dawn upon thy face,
And thy feet shall fare fair in the coming race.
Dream of the future in the mouth of the sky!
Spread thy young wings, flutter and fly!
Sleep, sleep, child of the world, sleep!
The days of despair shall melt and weep
Like soldiers mourning the spoils of war.
The sky shall tremble and the rains shall pour
Streams of living waters to fill thy broken cup.
Dream not of wild dogs, but of a tender, charming pup
Sucking gold trinkets in the stead of blistered bone.
Dream of tomorrow, of raging fire and brimstone!
Sleep, sleep, child of the world, sleep!
Dream big, plan big, grow big!
And let these words of mine mould you into shape!
YOU CAN READ ALL THE TOP 30 POEMS IN ‘RHYMES FOR CHILDREN‘ CHAPBOOK AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD BELOW.
Otubelu will take home the N8000 prize money and, alongside the other TOP 10 finalists from February to September 2019, will be automatically entered for the 2019 ALBERT JUNGERS POETRY PRIZE (AJPP) in addition to receiving a certificate and a copy of the BPPC 2019 anthology at the Words Rhymes & Rhythm Literary Festival 2018. All the top 10 poems for the 2018 Season will be published in the BPPC 2019 anthology while the top 30 poems are featured in ‘RHYMES FOR CHILDREN, a chapbook of all the top 30 poems of the edition. The finalists of each edition will also each receive
CLICK HERE TO ENTER FOR THE APRIL 2019 EDITION
The BRIGITTE POIRSON POETRY CONTEST, a brainchild of Words Rhymes & Rhythm (WRR), is a monthly writing contest aimed at rewarding the under-appreciated talent of young Nigerian poets. It was instituted in February 2015 in honor of Brigitte Poirson, a French poet and lecturer, editor, who has over the years worked assiduously to promote and support African poetry. Now in its third season as one of the few credible contests for poets, the BPPC has since grown to be one of country’s most popular, especially among the younger poets.
