How many more Wills will Habit deceive?
Fettered and guillotined, souls rest in tears!
How endless lost souls dreamily receive
Death’s melody, not Admonition’s fears!
For Eve was a beauty— unsoiled, unharmed,
Playing in the lawns of peaceful Eden.
Adam danced with bears— unwary, unarmed.
What stranger to pain! What icon of men!
And, of course, he came to put joy at stake,
Slowly—ah, slowly; mindful of a rhyme.
Uncoiling he came, advancing; a snake!
Such firm furioso to reel off a rhyme!
Blissful Eve was stunned by such swift passion
Gliding to her side, enchanting the air.
Her virtue wound up as curios beckon
So vulpine was he! He curtsied with flair!
“Come away from that bramble and sample
This apple. Stop your pitiful ramble!
Eat now and grow wise. Yes, solve this puzzle
Of this tree you think habours death’s mantle.”
Death she plucked at once, savouring the juice
And as if on cue, deep darkness broke loose.
To Adam and Eve, the rhyme sold a bruise,
And ever since then, it has been Death’s fuse.
You hammer of death, I know you no more.
Your doom has been penned, your fate decided!
The hourglass of charm flows for you no more.
Judgment has been passed, its seal unguided!
Tu-woo! Tu-wii!! Tururu goes my flute!
I invoke the wild in you my sweet Will.
Go on! Thrash him! He came to kill and loot!
To crush! To win! To rule – shall be our seal!!
Whatever our lot, our given measure,
It’s a true saying, our ears we must lend,
Life is a fierce war, a risky venture
From its beginning to its very end.
(This is an excerpt. The poem is 1000 lines altogether.)
BIOGRAPHY
Jeff Unaegbu (born Elochukwu Jephthah Unaegbu on October 1, 1979) is a Nigerian writer, actor, artist and documentary film maker, the author of eight books.
Filmography
*Saved by Sin, part 2 (2007)[29]
*Saved by Sin, part 3 (2007)[30]
*Zik of Africa- A Historical Reflection (2008/2010)[31]
*Journalism (Flash Documentary) (2010)[32]
Short story collections
This Mosquito in Your Net, (Nsukka: Global Publishers). (2010) ISBN 978-31647-4-0
Nonfiction
*Freedom in Our Bones: THE HISTORY OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA (1960-2004), (Onitsha: Blue Publishers, 2007, 2008). (512 Pages) ISBN 978-35602-2-0.
*The Origins of the NYSC, (Nsukka: Global Publishers, 2009). (90 Pages) ISBN 978-33254-4-2.
*ALEXANDER O.E. ANIMALU: A Biography of the Distinguished Professor of Physics (Co-authored with Dr. Akpojotor, G.E.) (Abuja: Ucheakonam Foundation (Nig.) Ltd., 2008). (133 Pages) ISBN 978-049-891-5.
*Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama African World Challenge: Arts and Science in the Reconstruction of the Consciousness of Africans in the 21st Century, A Dialogue of Western and African Worldviews, (Co-authored with Professors Animalu, A.O.E.; Umezinwa, W.A. and Achufusi, G.) (Enugu: Snaap Publishers, 2009). (102 Pages) ISBN 978-049-951-2.
*The Youth and National Development in Nigeria (Co-edited with Otagburuagu, E.J. and Ohia, N.C. (Nsukka: Global Publishers/ Benak Ventures) (2010) ISBN 978-8060-35-8.
Read full biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Unaegbu
MESSAGE TO POETS:
Write poetry that could jump up and become music. That way, your poem would last a hundred lives and more….
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” is remembered today, after over a hundred years, while theory books written back then have gathered dust in solemn libraries….
Be real. Thanks
