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#following

Wow!!! And it finally comes to an end.

**heaves a sigh of relief**

Well, I'm grateful to Almighty God who made all things possible.

Much appreciation goes to Cuddlemi. You held your own even when we got on your nerves..lol. God's blessings dear.

Kudos to my fellow contestants. You are all geniuses. Your works inspire me to want to do more and even work harder. I guess there's always room for improvement.

Our Judges too...you guys did a great job. Marking, reviewing and even taking time out to analyse. All I can say is a big thank you.

Designers are not left out...you all made the poems colourful. Well done.

Not forgetting the spectators as well for watching and cheering on. Thumbs up guys.

It won't be complete if I do not appreciate my Literature-in-English teacher. I'm happy to have met you ma. Thanks for making the subject so interesting.

And to any other person who wasn't mentioned, you are also appreciated.

Kudos to me too...I almost gave up, until I noticed who was watching.

"You never know its in you until you try it out."

ONE LOVE Y'ALL!



Wrote that on the day the competition ended. However, due to circumstances beyond my control, I could not post it.

I decided to forgo it, but I changed my mind when I came online today and saw all the great names that mentioned my name.

Tears almost ran out of my eyes, even though I hate getting emotional. Those little kind words were little but the kindness with which they were said can even melt stony hearts.

MI said something, "Even great artistes make fake art until they realise who they are."

All I can say is, I am more inspired now than I ever was before. Thanks to you guys.


SHE-BLAYZE WAS HERE.

Madam Cuddles, please I don't understand the column with bonus points...on the grading sheet.

I have been busy with poet's ish. Thank God I came back before the story ended oh. Happy belated bday aunty Repo even if its too early lol. Aunty Repo you are simply amazing. Nobody ever guessed the turn the story will take. Really really nice.

DESIGNER: ITbomb



WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC?

I chose this topic because I wanted to write on a subject that is of relevance to the Nigerian society and Africa at large. Marriage is customary, individuals have to perform the necessary rites in order to be legally joined.

The three most significant days in an individual's life are the day he is born, the day he gets married and the day he dies. It is noteworthy that an individual can only give account of one of these three days. That is the day he gets married. Thus everyone looks forward to that day.

Getting married has its ups and downs and meeting the perfect spouse is not an easy task. Most of us have high expectations. We set big goals for the future while hoping that the person we'll be bound to for life will somehow fit perfectly into our plans.



WHAT UNIQUE EXPERIENCE DID YOU DERIVE FROM WORKING WITH A DESIGNER?

For the first time, I had to do a collaboration with someone else ( a designer) in creating a work of art. It was ecstatic because we had to work together as a team and fuse ideas from different viewpoints. And as we all know two (good) heads are better than one.

Working with a designer couldn't have been any better as I saw poetry come alive. The aesthetic quality the design gave to the poem was even astounding. It is unbelievable how a message that requires a thousand words to be conveyed is portrayed flawlessly by a single picture.



WHAT WERE THE CONSTRAINTS INVOLVED IN WORKING IN A TEAM?

The only difficulty I experienced was in trying to liaise with my teammate incognito. However, we fixed deadlines for ourselves which enhanced punctuality. Network hassles tried to pose a difficulty but in all, we both did our best.



COMMENTARY

Verse 1 simply portrays the fact that some things can never happen while some others have being destined to be. The strong belief that fate can never be changed is established.
However, fate needs external forces in order to occur. Therefore, the poet tries to show that contrary to African belief that it is solely the duty of the man to find the wife, the writer of the letter is spontaneous and ready for change. Line 10 shows this _ "I live my life like its a window". She (the writer of the letter) is ready to put herself out there to be exposed to all form of advances from potential suitors, yet earnestly waiting to choose the best.


Verse 2: The writer of the letter acknowledges that all sorts of men will chase after her. The wind in Line 12-14 depicts a romantic who knows the game so well. His player nature is figuratively expressed as the wind which is unstable and attends to many things at the same time.
Line 15-17 depicts an obsessed lover who might hurt her in the process of trying to prove his love or win her love.
The thieves in Line 18-20 symbolises the craddle-robber, the sugar daddy, and opportunists generally who would try to force their way into her heart through various crooked means. Line 20 is literally trying to capture the famous baclcony scene of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" it signifies true love in its perfection.


Verse 3: The writer of the letter promises to reach out to her husband if he'll as much as give her a clue of the extent of his love for her. The original marriage vows of "for better for worse..." comes to mind in Line 21-23 when the writer asks her husband if he'll be there by her side even on gloomy days. Line 24-30 conveys some physical attributes the writer desires in her future husband, and she ponders if lifelong long and strong attraction will exist between them. Line 29 has the writer wondering if her future husband will be the one to deflower her.


Verse 4: The writer anticipates the setting in she and her future husband will first meet. Lagos city in Line 34 symbolises hustle and bustle. Would they meet and somehow pick out each other despite their busy lives? Capital city in Line 35 symbolises Abuja (the capital of Nigeria) which is a more quiet and organised place. In the context of the poem, it signifies a corporate environment such as an office, a conference venue, or even a bank. Salem city also in line 35, symbolises a religious setting such as mosque, church, and others. Line 36-40 conveys the writer's musings. Could their first time of meeting give any pointer in the direction of marriage? Cake in Line 40 symbolises wedding.


Verse 5: This verse is successful in taking a sneak preview into the writer's domesticity. The humility of the writer and her willingness to perform wifely duties are portrayed. In addition, Line 41-43 shows that the writer is indirectly pressured by family and society to get married with promptness. The writer also also hopes strongly for a perfect family (home) as portrayed by "Eden" in Line 50.


Verse 6: This verse is an irony in itself. Line 51-55 depicts the absurdity of writing a letter to a future husband, someone who is yet to be seen and known. It bears the writer's frustration and has a sarcastic undertone. Line 56-60 is the dawn of realisation for the writer. The need for a husband is at the top of her priority list. The writer has stopped dreaming and desperation becomes the better of her. "Spinster-dom" and "wife-dom" are not accurate English words but are employed by the poet for effect.


Verse7: This verse is a summary of the writer's prayers for her future husband though he's still unknown. Natural elements such as birds, wind, sun, storm, stream, river, rain, trees are brought into play. Music, the food of the soul is also invoked by the writer. She hopes that these elements will also facilitate their meeting and matrimony.
In Line 70, which is the last line, she ends the letter in a humurous yet strong and thoughtful way. She validates herself as a vital need for her future husband. Her claim is backed up by Bible scripture of Proverbs 18:22, "whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord."


SUMMARY: ALL of the experiences of a spinster journeying into womanhood are unveiled in the poem.. At the early part, the writer is unsure of what she wants her future husband to be and spends her time conjuring up fantasies.

However she is jolted back to reality and returns from dreamland when family, society and even her age pressure her. (When menopause approaches, it becomes difficult for women to get pregnant and men generally prefer to go for 'young blood' instead of 'old cargo')

Frustration sets in due to overwhelming pressures. At this stage, most single ladies will gladly walk down the aisle with just anyone. However, a lady might still be lucky to get the man of her dreams even when all hopes are gone.
The poem ends with the writer wishing her husband well while hoping that he finds and gets married to her.



THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POEM AND THE DESIGN

The design illustrates a couple having a romantic moment in the beach at sunset and another couple who just tied the nuptial knots.

The couple having a romantic moment represents all the dreams and fantasies conjured up by the writer in the poem. The glowing sunset, the beach, the horizon, the posture of the couple (the man holds up the lady to the sky while she stretches out her hands in glee) all represent the perfect, romanced-filled love life the writer of the letter in the poem wishes for.

Also, the happiness, enthusiasm, and excitement of the couple doesn't go unnoticed. Their eagerness to conquer the world is shown by the way the man holds the lady high up into the sky.

The wedded couple are simply depicting marriage, which is greatly looked forward to by the writer. The letter which starts with the salutation, "dear future hubby" is portrayed also.



THE MEANING OF TERMS, TERMINOLOGIES, FIGURE OF SPEECH AND DESIGNS OR WHAT THEY SIGNIFY

The meaning of terms, terminologies and figures of speech used in the poem have been addressed in the "Commentary" while the Significance of the design has also been addressed in "The Relationship between the Poem and the design."



IN CONCLUSION, WHAT IS THE MESSAGE BEHIND YOUR POEM?

On surface level, the subject of the poem is marriage but in retrospect the poem aims at exposing true human nature when it desires something. Although fate has destined some things to be, they would never come to pass unless they are acted upon by forces. If we need certain things in life, we would never have them unless we push or reach out.

While our dreams are yet to be achieved, we think, we fantasize, we get giddy, we imagine instead of working to make our dream a reality. Expectations most times are set too high so that when opporunities abound before us we close our eyes to them and we waste our time waiting for greener pastures.

Most of us miss our breakthroughs because we want to attain the highest height without starting from the lowest rung on the ladder. Big things start small. Opportunity comes but once. Experience is the best teacher but let us learn from others experience. Some people retrace their steps before its too late while some get desperate and decide to follow the short-cut. A popular idiom says, "The shortest road killed the antelope's child."

Finally, the world is round, let us be open to change that is positive. Let us take charge of our lives while still being humble yet knowing our worth. The sky is large, the horizon is endless, let us dream big and never stop dreaming. Even as we dream, let us remember Newton's first law of motion, "an object will continue in its state of rest or uniform motion until it is acted upon by an external force." Therefore, we must act to make our dreams reality. The change we see, is the change we make. Thank you.

Reserved for Number 7

LETTER TO MY FUTURE HUSBAND
Pen could never lie to paper
Pestle would always hit on mortar
Teeth could never eat the tongue
Lipstick would always rub on lips
Leaves were meant to grow on trees
Tulips and daisies, flowers I see
Clothes and skin so close
Bones and flesh together grow old
Eyelids barricade the eyes, though wrinkled
I live my life like its a window


The window blinds, I have discarded
You might come in as wind, I have regarded
Soft and gentle with sweet melodies
Smooching my skin, soothing my spirit
What if you were the light I sought
What if you would be more intense than I thought
Seeing through my burning skin with piercing eyes of love
You could be those thieves I have fought
Trying to climb in and steal my heart by force
Or would you be a perfect gentleman like Romeo and wait by the window


On days so bland, would you understand when I'm blank
The man should search but I promise my hands will stretch
When you fetch my love with zest, I would never relent
I wonder, would your body be muscular for me to lie on
Would your shoulders be broad for me to cry on
Would your machine be long for me to ride on
Would your smiles melt my insides
Would your touch make my spirit come alive
Would you my adonis, be my first guy
Would our love stay alive when we die


Virginity is vanity
Purity is chastity
I wait with uncertainty
I wonder if we'll meet in Lagos city
The Capital city or Salem city
During morning, afternoon, or evening
Time would pause on our first meeting
Two destinies aligned, two souls entwined
Will I see our future in your sparkling eyes
Will I read your mind to know if our cake will be iced


Mother anticipates you
Father can't wait to endorse you
Big Brother is ready to welcome you
Our children will proudly be fathered by you
I will gladly entrust my life to you
I train for you daily, I scrub, I wash, I cook
I know how to love, care and amuse
All basic equipment, I have learnt to use
One thing I strive for, to be a role model to our children
I do hope you feel the same way when we get to our Eden


A letter to my future husband
A letter indeed, A letter he'll read
A letter without a stamp, A letter written in stanzas
The writer is the bearer, The recipient is nameless
Its an insult to standards built with age
For our love's sake, standards do change
Thoughts of you are valuable in this kingdom unbearable
I await your rescue from spinsterdom to wifedom
I'm in support, let's dominate our world
I'll gladly walk down the aisle just to be called yours


Let the birds sing to you my favourite love songs
Let the wind whisper in your ears my oath of undying love
Let the bright morning sun give you warmth in this cold world
Let the storm raging towards you stop even before you say a word
Let your stream of tears be turned to an overflowing river of joy
Let the rain drench your fears, let the light overcome your darkness
Let our hearts beat in unison, let the trees dance to our love's music
Let your heart be flooded with peace, let your being experience bliss
Let the universe bring us close, let the flaming ember of our love never go cold
Yours truly, your wife, your stronghold, your ticket to being a couple.

Reserved for number 20

LETTER TO MY FUTURE HUSBAND

Reserved for Number 20

LETTER TO MY FUTURE HUSBAND

#wickid @timparker lol. Ladies first

#wickid @timparker

Cuddles please can you hide my post on the reservation thread. It's due to network wahala. Timparker and I posted at the same time.