Today's World's Poetry Day. It happen to coincide with the day one of my mentor, Chinua Achebe died. I remember consoling myself with a poem I hastily scripted in his memory when I heard of his death.
Since it's World's Poetry Day, let me just share the poem. Hopefully, it'll cast our mind back to this icon that once trod this earth.

NB: I had to re-touch the work to reflect time and situation.


IFE MELU

Continue resting in peace, Achebe.
You towering man of letters,
A trailblazer and a pathfinder,
An eagle atop an Iroko,
A colossus right from colonial era,
I salute your courage.

You played in the league of generals,
While we grapple with corruption as a nation,
You reminded an incorruptible judge.
Twice they penned you down for an endearing award
But you turned them down;
Saying you would not accept such honour
When the country you call home
Sits on a keg of gun powder.

Ife melu!
Your fall was like that of an Iroko,
Leaving the birds with nowhere to perch,
You, a strong man of the clan,
Left without a word of farewell,
National election is here again
But our incorruptible judge lie 6-feets under
Leaving us indecisive
With our PVCs tucked in our pockets.

Ife melu!
A giant in the midst of men
Took a bow from us two years ago,
A knight errant he was,
A man whose opinion matters even in the congratulation of fools.
Chinualumogu,
Your branches spread across bridges,
You fought in the battle of gladiators,
Where Things Fall Apart.
Ewoo, Ife melu!

Even the arrow of God is no longer at ease,
If not,
Why would a man of the people fall apart from the crowd,
At a time when war song is still raging,
Even Ojukwu, our warlord was taken.
Who shall we now brag about?
Onye nnekwu uche,
Onye edemede di egwu,
Mbaa, ebenebe gbulu!

You arrogant cold hands of death,
Dreaded arrow of departure,
Fear thee not that thou took even the great Achebe?
A rare gem and a colossus?
A man whose voice was heard even by the deaf
And the blind felt his presence afar off.

Though he has gone the way of all mortals
He still lives among us,
His voiceless voice echoes from the pages of Things Fall apart.
Ife melu!

The sky is no longer safe for the kite,
Neither is land safe for the rat,
The fire of death rages every now and then,
With impunity she stole even the great Albert Achebe,
The brave blood of Igbo land,
Onye anyi gi ama'tu.

Ife melu!
Ugo belu na elu orji has flown away,
Go forth go forth;
A giant in the sand,
Naba na ndokwa,
Onye edemede di egwu,
Farewell, farewell Chinualumogu Achebe!!!

U'r good.. Dis generation dnt value literature nd it's sad...u'r 2 much

Thanks, bro. Write-ups like this should make FP. Sometimes I wonder d rationale Seun and his friends uses in deciding what they bring to FP.

Obinnau,
HumbledbYGrace) achebe was a giant that we should promote and learn from pls mod fp

Obinnau,
HumbledbYGrace) achebe is a giant that we should promote and learn from pls mod fp

Well composed write up...May his soul continue to RIP