First of all, let us praise Almighty God for his grace and mercies to be alive today.

I am very pleased and excited to welcome everyone to the launching of Nairaland Poetry Club. On behalf of all NPC members, I extend my greeting and recognition to Seun Osewa, the Founder and CEO of Nairaland. God bless you, Creator. To our dear Mods and our VIP and all other invitees, I thank you for honouring our invitations. I also appreciate the viewers, guests, and ghost readers. Thank you all.

I will like to distinctively show deep acknowledgements to the our VIP guests on the high table:

* LARRYSUN: He's a Master of Literature, Commander of the Literary Force, The Grammarian, and prominent prose writer with significant, glamourous, mind blowing prose works. He is the well-known author of the Trilogy: The Brand of Cain, The Paradox of Abel, and The Taint of Judas (Coming soon) and Black Maria: A Tales of Two Thieves. I thank you so much, Sir.

*NOBLE4D: He's a great poet and teacher, who has impacted his students with great literary style and forms. He's always there to help us write better poetry. He's one of the judges of the just concluded Nairaland Collaborative Poetry Competition. Recently, Sir Noble has been appointed with another brilliant poet, Timpaker, as the patrons of NPC. Thank you for your advice to make this event a success.

*TIMPAKER: He's a veteran soldier of words, whose words are mighty enough to pull down Jericho and as well effective to build Rome. He's one of the just concluded Nairaland Collaborative Poetry Competition. He was also the winner of last year Poetry Competition (Organised by Cuddlemii) with his awesome poem, Seductress is Hapless. Thank you, my dear brother. *winks*

*TEXANOMALY: She's a wonderful poet and critic. She was the first to lecture us during the past Nairaland Writing Workshop organised by Divepen. Also, she's a member of the Editorial Board of Storried.com

*PRINCESA: This is also a talented prose writer as well as a poet. She has dazzled the literature section with beautiful literary works. She's the author of Taking Chances and her awesome poems radiate the poetry section. Visit the thread One Poem For The Road to read Princesa.

FIRESTAR: She's a veteran poet with distinct artistic style of constructing poem. Like Princesa, she has dazzled the literature section with beautiful literary works.

ROYVER: This is another Soldier of Words, who has blessed the literature section with awed stories like his popular I See Things Others Do Not See. This Doctor was the Winner of Nairaland Collaborative Poetry Competition along side with KRYSTALXXX.

KELVINGRAPHICS: I appreciate and recognise KELVINGRAPHICS, the designer of the advertising poster.

Please, pardon me to brief others.
COOGAR, JENNINMA, KRYSTALXXX, , SAMMYHOE, THEROCK555, MIZMYCOLI, ISHILOVE, AND IBIME. You are all welcome to the high table. Thank you once again.

NAIRALAND POETRY CLUB
VISION: To attain mastery and skills in the art of constructing beautiful poems.

MISION: Through rigorous teaching and learning from the Masters' works, NPC aims to reach out to Africa and the world at large through eloquent use of words.

MORE OBJECTIVES:
Monday: A poem will be chosen to study (Weekly rotation between African and Non-African Poems) and a theme/form will be chosen to write on incorporating the elements learnt from the chosen poem.

Tuesday/Wednesday: Discussion about the poem and the devices that make it unique.

Thursday/Friday: A conclusion on the analysis of the poem and it will be posted on NPC thread.

Saturday: Submission of poems by members from which two poems will be selected for NPC Anthology.

The last Saturday of every month, there will be collaborative poems among members. This is to create a unified voice among NPC members.

COMPETITION: It holds twice a year. (Mid-year: Collaborative Competition; End of the year: Individual Competition and the winner will be the poet of the year).

End of every year there will be NPC Anthology (Volume One for the first year. Hope to get it published)

Club President: Poet of the Year automatically qualifies and two other members will be nominated, followed by general votes. The President will take over and lead the members through another year.
OMA4U is the acting President of NPC.

Thank you all for your time. Thank you all NPC members for your supports and cooperation. Thank you Almighty God.

Abeg a don try. e no easy to type joor……..phew!

.

laykorn:
I will start to make mentions now. At a few minutes to 8,I will remove the mentions to clear ground for the event. Thanks in advance.

---

This is a list of our V.I.P invites. Although,here,everyone is V.I.P,but the presence of some people need to be especially highlighted. Thanks....
Divepen
noble4d
Jennminna
texanomaly
princesa
coogar
timpaker
Royver
Krystalxxx
Kelvingraphics
SammyHoe
TheRock555
Larrysun
yuzjet
MizMyColi

---

Invites from the just concluded Collaboration Competition...
philtrum
Basille
Joel17
gottoboy,
harddon
Chuksemi
giyazz,
firestar
kagari
AmiableJay
pureIvory
Gladyys
midasbliss
ad3ola
IGItee
eke40seven
sosiqdude

---

Planning team...
OMA4U(acting president)
noble4d
JigsawKillah
iyabodeh
ayozainy
laykorn
timpaker
gloriaz
yuzjet

These are names of the people who have been part of the WhatsApp and BBM groups to plan on the launch and agendas of the club. I say a big thank you to everyone...

Ayamlaykorn

Owk

....

iyabodeh:
Needed for further modifications.

I'll be here with iyabodeh if anyone needs me.

....

*rushes in*

Hope I'm not too late again. Oma4u, what's up? Have we started?

Keep up the good work guys. Been requesting for frontpage from the supermods but it looks like they are on break.

Present.

noble is here

....

Hello and hi everyone! *waves at familiar faces in the crowd*

Firestar, timpaker been a while!

I have updated. Now, we are waiting for our VIP to give us speech.

Welcome Sir and Ma

*abeg the network is a snail presently, so I may not reply to Posts very fast*

....

Distinguish ladies and gentle men. The magnificent President, the humble invitees and viewers, I greet you all.

All my time here in Nairaland, I've been gazing through the window striving to retrieve the key to the unlock door, but I failed severely.

   Today is the day of merriment and fulfillment. A day that will stay glued to my heart forever.

I cried heartily when I see or hear people speaking ill about poetry. They see it as beans that takes time to be cooked, they see it as a building where no one lives. Some people even yelp at the poets saying awful things, they see poets as lazy people. But now, I'm a happy man because today is the day when rivers will flow, when failure will be broken, and proofs be seen.

      Poetry is a  lot of things to a lot of people. Its the chiseled marble of language. There are equally numerous reasons for writing poetry. But poetry, unlike prose, often has an underlying and over -arching purpose that goes beyond the literal. Poetry is evocative. It typically evokes in the reader an intense emotion: joy, sorrow, anger, catharsis, love e.t.c.

      Poetry can be powerfully moving, beautiful and even funny. Using a piece of poetry within your speech/writing can add quality and depth to your message.

I'm Noble4d, a patron to this innovative poetry club.

Thanks.

princesa:
Hello and hi everyone! *waves at familiar faces in the crowd*

Firestar, timpaker been a while!

Our honourable Poetess, Madam Princesa, we're awaiting your speech, ma'am.

Tag:
Timparker, firestar, LarrySun

Good evening everybody****takes a seat at the back***

noble4d:
Distinguish ladies and gentle men. The magnificent President, the humble invitees and viewers, I greet you all.

All my time here in Nairaland, I've been gazing through the window striving to retrieve the key to the unlock door, but I failed severely.

   Today is the day of merriment and fulfillment. A day that will stay glued to my heart forever.

I cried heartily when I see or hear people speaking ill about poetry. They see it as beans that takes time to be cooked, they see it as a building where no one lives. Some people even yelp at the poets saying awful things, they see poets as lazy people. But now, I'm a happy man because today is the day when rivers will flow, when failure will be broken, and proofs be seen.

      Poetry is a  lot of things to a lot of people. Its the chiseled marble of language. There are equally numerous reasons for writing poetry. But poetry, unlike prose, often has an underlying and over -arching purpose that goes beyond the literal. Poetry is evocative. It typically evokes in the reader an intense emotion: joy, sorrow, anger, catharsis, love e.t.c.

      Poetry can be powerfully moving, beautiful and even funny. Using a piece of poetry within your speech/writing can add quality and depth to your message.

I'm Noble4d, a patron to this innovative poetry club.

Thanks.

*Standing ovation* *crowd clapping and cheering*

Thank you, our dear Patron, Noble.

Good evening to every honourable poet seated in this venue, on behalf of the organisers of this event, I say a very big welcome to you all.

Please permit me to take a little of your time...

I am personally happy for a day like this, it reminds me of good old days when the poetry section was just as lively. Some of us 'old faces' are familiar with what I mean. If you can remember the 'Rhymes' or the 'Rant' thread, then indeed you've come a long way here, just as I have.

But that not withstanding, we love and appreciate the influx of poets both old and new, and our collective effort in making this 'not so sort after' art form a success.

Knowing what poetry means personally to us, I think is all we need to forge ahead regardless...our passion and self conviction for this art form.

So Special thanks to Oma4u and lakhorn, Iyabodeh for their resilience and determination with this project, guys keep it up! Little drops of water...

I am also honoured to be a VIP here amongst so many great poets...

Thank you for your time and enjoy the rest of the evening.

*comes down from podium*

Royver:
Good evening everybody****takes a seat at the back***

Mr. Royver, the high table is your seat. Kindly please gait forward and give us a speech.

Welcome Sir

timpaker:
Have you seen my pen?
The sword of my heart

Have you seen my pen?
The sting of my muse -

Have you seen my pen?
In its ink my poetry swam

Have you seen my pen?
It squirts the tears of my soul

Have you seen my pen?
I need to paint my thoughts

Have you seen my pen?
The silent voice that echoes from afar

When you see my pen
Tell it that my joy reside in it.


Good evening....

Welcome, Sir.

*extending the butt of microphone to you*

princesa:
Good evening to every honourable poet seated in this venue, on behalf of the organisers of this event, I say a very big welcome to you all.

Please permit me to take a little of your time...

I am personally happy for a day like this, it reminds me of good old days when the poetry section was just as lively. Some of us 'old faces' are familiar with what I mean. If you can remember the 'Rhymes' or the 'Rant' thread, then indeed you've come a long way here, just as I have.

But that not withstanding, we love and appreciate the influx of poets both old and new, and our collective effort in making this 'not so sort after' art form a success.

Knowing what poetry means, personally to us, I think that is all we need to forge ahead regardless...our passion and self conviction for this art form.

So Special thanks to Oma4u and lakyhorn for their resilience and determination with this project, guys keep it up! Little drops of water...

I am also honoured to be a VIP here amongst so many great poets...little Princesa

Thank you for your time and enjoy the rest of the evening.

*comes down from podium*

Thank you, Madam Princesa. God bless you, ma.

I remember the old days when I used to sneak in to read poems without commenting until cuddlemii came up with the competition.

*feeling nostalgic* I am a murderer by default by princesa. That poem was so vivid and emotional.