When the future of our nation seems bleak
In forlorn hope; all citizens getting sick
Of corrupt helmsmen and pandemic horror
Faith becomes our vaccine and our savior
Wazobia, the realm of three major tribes,
Endowed with corruption and lawful bribes
The poor fish, the rich freely feed on their fish
The shepherds pick teeth while sheep famish
Wazobia thinks curse of corruption is
enough jolt,
Until her sore is garnished again with salt
When Covid-19 ambushed with new horror,
An Asian pandemic who kindled the terror
Wazobia is like a pig wallowing in a mire
A nation jumping out of frying pan to fire
Terror of pandemic struck the heart of the nation
With zero panacea to the curse of corruption
To the Holy mighty our nation’s heart resort
For only He can take our turbulences to court
Not grief nor vaccine can mend our situation
But crown faith as the anchor of our nation
Yahaya Qasim Oluwapelumi is a Nigerian poet, novelist and journalist. He graduated from the University of Benin, Nigeria. He has won many poetry awards of excellence and has got many of his poems published on various sites. <qoayib@gmail.com>
When evil meets good,
It turns out to be a deadly clash…
The world plunged deeper
Into the vicious cycle
Of debauchery and parody…
When evil meets good,
Love wore a daunting coat
Of smouldering lust,
Lampooned on falsehood and pretext..
The world is a dangerous hood,
The vices of evil
Are cruel and crude…
Humanity resorted to
Savagery and blood mongery…
When evil meets good,
I kept my hopes alive
Because light will always prevail
Over darkness…
David Adejumo is a Nigerian Poet, Historian Writer, Essayist and Disciple of Jesus Christ.He writes poems to pass a message to Humanity.He has been published on several international and local magazines like: Tuck magazine, Sach ki dastak Hindu magazine, Pride magazine, etc.He has also been published on the annual Chinua Achebe Anthology in 2018, A Spark of Hope Anthology in 2019 and the World Peace Anthology.He is a graduate of History and International studies from Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. He currently resides in Abuja, Nigeria. davidadejumo1204@gmail.com>
In a land plagued with gruesome pandemic
With the inhabitants swimming in hunger
Negligence clasping its hands around their shoulders like a grandpa admiring his grandson
We are like a kingdom devastated by gunmen
And we run here and there for shelter
Oblivious of the triple sounds of the bullets on the corrugated iron sheets
We scramble and quarantine ourselves in our humble kiosks
Our King has not said a word
Our warriors die with swords in their hands
Children cooing, wailing, weeping
Looking like scorched left over vegetables from the market
As they traverse all lands begging for crumbs
As a hungry lion rushes and devours its food
We stumble on one another for palliatives
For those who got, the Messiah has come
It’s a pity, the unfortunate ones nurse their deep wounds
Though the palliatives -a tantalizer
The road is far but near enough
For those who trust and believe in faith
Together we shall fight and win the plague
For as a loafer invites trouble for himself
We sit and trouble God to trouble this quagmire
Copyright Reserved
Agnes Onuawuchi 21/05/2020I studied English and Literary Studies at University of Nigeria, Nsukka.I’m an English Language teacher and a literary writer from Ahiazu Mbaise in Imo State, Nigeria.
4. I’M FLOATING ABOVE THE TUMULT
I am floating above this tumult
That grips the world in its jugulars
With a deadly viral hold.
I shall fly away to heaven
To merge with the wings of angels
In a gleeful choir
To sing praises of creations
To thank Nature for humanity
I am floating above this tumult
Shimmering in the lights of hope
That’s beset round by the horror
Of a pathogen roaring like a lion.
I shall rise like the phoenix
For I know without a doubt
The world shall soon over come.
I am floating above this tumult
With a feathery speed
That grips words in their heels
In a deadly viral stranglehold
Round the jugulars of candence
I shall fly away to heaven
To merge with the wings of angels
In a gleeful cherubic choir
To sing praises of scansion
To thank Nature for rthymns
I am floating above this tumult
Shimmering in the lights of metaphors
That’s beset round by the horror
Of a pathogen roaring like an onomatopoeia.
I shall rise like the phoenix
From the ashes of redundancies
For I know without a doubt
The world shall soon scale
This peak with a gusto
At the feathery speed of synecdoche.
Nattie O’Sheggzy has decided on his the pen name because it allows him the freedom to write. He is a consummate Nigerian poet who loves to put his thoughts and actions in poetic forms. Nattie has been writing for more than two decades. His works have appeared in anthologies, including BOWL OF PEACE and CHRISTMAS IN OUR HEARTS by Lovely Gracia. Many of his poems have also won awards and recognitions nationally and internationally. Currently, he is working on his first book of poetry. His email address is nattie4all3(AT)gmail(DOT)com, <nattie4all3@gmail.com>
If money can turn the wise fool
What will agony be to bones that suffer calcium?
If death is a pleasure to watch a game on stool
What shall bring fear to the heart dwelling in crematorium?
It is true “money is the root of every evil”
Plague beautifies the world in deceit
Humans’ petals flowered its garden
Many falling petals are mistreat
Received enough support but garden isn’t pardon
All to the honor of your pleasure, we forfeited
Gardeners have an awesome merry go round
To watch out others in disguised anticipation
Whereas, their harvest bloom and abound
To the mess of Hunger-20 promotion
A scope of care “stay home” is well propounded
It isn’t a prank to joke with for all reasons to insanity
Though it seems they had make workers go days starving denizens
Keeping a lot of grains in store for themselves and their cousins
While this is a threat to humanity
They claim to still cherish the welfare of the citizens
Wems Henry Temmy is my pen’s name
Olábòsóyè Wèmímó Oláolúwá by virtue of nomenclature.A poet from Nigeria with art’s love and a teacher of literature.Studied English Literature in Federal College of Education (special) Oyo, class of 2016.Have added a lot of collection of poems and still counting , <wemimoolaoluwaolabosoye@gmail.com>
The diurnal shall arrive
When the sun rises with igniting sparks
Mother nature rejoicing once again
Together with her disciples
Beating drums and chanting ululations
Cuddling and fondling without fear
Nightingales and quelea singing songs of praise
Lion kings and queens daringly and intrepidly hugging and kissing
Exquisite moon and sun playing hide and seek majestically
Humankind freed from the manacles and shackles
Hellholes and whirlwinds swept away the pricks and stabs
Flood rages desiccated, dehydrated and ashamed
Grave yards weeping sorrowfully
For days passing with stomach stridently crying
The covid19 drastic menace under dark caves
Soldering souls pushing the boat out “the abysmal storm over”!
Stricken emptied and deflated streets becoming “once upon a time”
Market shacks once homes for spiders
Draped and decked with webs all over
Food shelves bedecked and garlanded with sarcastic nets
Boulevards echoing songs of despair
All becoming stories of the past
How pity for the
Typical sluggish and slothful mortals
Who extoled, extolled and exalted the lockdown
Hammering food and snoozing all day
When magnificent eagles flew high above mountains
Exploring adventures and catching up lost dreams
Discovering talent mounting and escalating it
My people,
Faith is the master key that connects chemistry and physics without any friction
Biology then holds on her breath with trust
Certain that remedy for her tormented lungs is finally at the door
Soldering souls pushing the boat out “the abysmal storm over”!
Gorata Mighty Ntshwabi is a well organised, goal oriented and self-driven.Botswana citizen registered poetess herein as Poko Boswa Poetry my Heritage specialising in both traditional and contemporary poetry both oral and written.She is an author of an English poetry book “Exploring the Roots Poetry my Heritage, Living Arts self published in 2016 which she transcribed into brail for the visually impaired.Gorata holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences with majors in Sociology and Psychology from Central University of Technology Free State in South Africa and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education in African Languages and Literature from the University of Botswana.
THE ART OF COPING WHEN THE PLATFORMS RUN COLD
“Geno, why should people pay to watch spoken-word poetry?” I was asked recently during a Zoom online- poetry show I was humbled to be asked to perform at.
Well I “Uhm-ed” and “ehm-ed” before I could think of brilliant reasons which I shall list as we go on but here is first, a little introduction.
Hi, I am a spoken word poet! Heard of me? Anybody? No? Really? Okay then.
Well, in 2017, Somehow during the helter-skelter of self-discovery, I found out that in-spite of my loudness on social media, I am a rather shy person but one who is good at putting words together(well, most people tell me so) and therein I embraced spoken word with the pseudonym , Geno Apachi, the Shy Poet .
That worked just fine for then the below-average paying gigs started and poster after poster with my face, venue and peanut entrance fee got me a seat at the table of the disgruntled, free-spirited, sweet-tongued intellectuals- poets.
There I was, earning applauses, hoots and hope instead of rent from a poetry loving crowd cultivated by older poets and I felt alive, going with the cliché “do it for the passion” vibe, shaking hands and taking selfies with fans, affording a few drinks and snacks here and there, until I realized graduation was long done with no permanent salary to show yet and many a broke day!
Then boom! Covid-19 happens, the world is on lock-down, the usual audience would rather spare that 20k for that extra kilo of rice or a webinar on how to grow business during quarantine than spend it on me because I have neither show nor venue to show up to.
I further realize the money I earned from past events was only enough to help me go by per day and with every painful passing day what is left of it is mercilessly dwindling!
The anxiety begins! The fear of failure, the society pressure to be successful by 25 gnaws on the mind by night and the question at the back of the mind by day is “where shall my next income come from?”
The hope that I once held on to that someday the audience and the value for the art will be bigger loosely dangles.
Unfortunately, a mind that writes is one that dangerously digs way to deep into itself making it prone to easily be swept off by depression- most will not understand.
So how do I cope?
Embracing social-media and its platforms
Building an online presence is very important for one, I sometimes use my pages as a digital marketing platform for whoever is interested and can pay hence the extra income
For most, social media feels like a place where millennials go to seek validation to boost their esteem by posting irritating selfies, air-headed snap chat videos, racist statements and plenty other shenanigans.
But I find it a haven for escapism and career boosting. I search for, write and post poetry or jokes depending on the day and the socialization, conversations, criticism, number of shares, define the quality of my work.
We now have all the time on our hands to use social media to market our brands, build connections and I am so on it!
I want to actually start a blog. One wonders why I took so long to realize this.
Reading
We are so caught up with trying to make ends meet that we rarely get time to sit down and absorb other people’s work.
People are brilliant out there and now that I am reading more, I am beginning to learn more, pick up new words, learn new skills.
Therefore, even if the writer’s block hits (which for some reason happens a lot when one is idle), time is not entirely wasted!
In fact I have gained a few cooking skills (My friends would never believe me)
Writing more
As in regards to the question I was asked in the first paragraph, Poetry is therapeutic for both readers and writers.
Unlike with many professions, in poetry there are no rules or limits as to the length of emotions or topics you want to vent.
The writer pours out his or her turmoil on paper or nowadays, laptop and the readers relate which helps both of them express and somehow heal from what they battle with.
In doing this, both parties are in touch with their realities. They are awakened and they can find answers hence relief.
Performing on-line
Turns out, the famous Zoom video calling app can stage an online show after all. There are so many things applications can offer for example recording a video on Facebook live or even on IGTV (Instagram) and engaging the audience.
This helps me stay relative to the art and people do not forget that I am a poet as there are many being born every day.
Apparently every one is a writer!
Mercy Geno Apachi , Ugandan Poet , Writer and Journalist
Once upon a time
Surely now it’s chime
Walking in darkness
Reaching out for the single brightness
Heard them footsteps behind
Firstly thought it was my mind
Walked faster and they followed suit
Sweating,heart beating. Am i in pursuit?
Cold fear chilled me as i was not acting
Only that i was not hallucinating
Yes i saw them falling the stars
Yes i saw them falling the stars
Willpower came to my rescue
Fearfully i took the cue
Turned around to see my villain
All was in vain
He was wearing all white
Believe you me he was might
All he done was looking at me silently
Blinding stare and stared up the sky diligently
Yes i saw them falling the stars
Yes i saw them falling the stars.
©®Chrispah Munyoro 8/4/20CHRISPAH MUNYORO is currently a graduate of Applied Art and Design, Graphics and Website Programming. at Kwekwe Polytechnic College in Zimbabwe . Munyoro is a talented writer, journalist and a dedicated Design Artist. She is natural linguist, fluent in many languages among them English, Shona, Esperanto, Setswana, Swahili, Italiana and Yoruba. She began as a columnist writing feature articles in the Gweru Times in Midlands Province Capital of Zimbabwe. She has worked as a Midlands Chapter Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Association of Freelance Journalists.
Father sits under the tree with his calabash
Filled with the local alcohol to celebrate,
In honour of his only son gone oversees.
Mother with bare hands lifts the pot of meat from fire,
Elders of the land gather with bowels of blessings
And in a gathering,the feasting starts.
Just yesterday, father sent his only son to America
To live a lively life the Bourgeoisie,
Today he receives the most atrocious news
That his son got pinned to the earth
On the neck by the White man’s knee.
Tragic!
Wails across the land never end.
Who taught humanity to marry prejudice,
breathe in and out racism and hatred?
They’ve forgotten so soon about the divine law
That all mankind is in God’s image.
Like Cain, they’re not their brother’s keepers.
Like Goshen, their streets filled with the blood of Africans.
The blood of Africans flows like a river
Murdered because they committed a crime called ‘My black skin’.
They hide in darkness for their lives
Light frightens and draws them to the hours of their death.
Tragic!
Africa was sliced and eaten in the Berlin Conference
Dominion is still taken over the black race.
When then shall we be free from being nailed or jailed?
Awadifo Olga Kili is a Uganda Author, Poetess,Law Student and a human rights activist.She’s the Author of the book “Victorious Tales” that seeks to address human rights concerns. Some of her poems and writings have featured in journals and anthologies internationally. <peacepearlletaasi@gmail.com>
10. .ASSERTING LIFE
Every sunrise brings
new deaths;
we move in the ombre
shades of grief.
I can hear the
helpless apple-red sun
choke back tears.
The virus spreads like
cool green moss
on a river bed.
This life that struggles
like a flower under rocks
I must water every day,
exhaling my fears.
I inhale the fragrance
of faith with every breath
that I draw in.
Jagari Mukherjee is the author of three collections of poetry. Her latest book, The Elegant Nobody (2020) was published by Hawakal Publishers, Kolkata. She is the recipient of the prestigious Reuel International Prize For Poetry, 2019, apart from other awards,mjagari@gmail.com>
11. 2020
2020, the year of the grim locust,
Mankind loss her “focused”
The year of the devil’s bad breath,
Spreading across the world’s breadth.
A year of cosmic curfew
Even upon holy pew.
A year of cosmic anger,
That forced mankind to hunger.
A year of cosmic reckoning,
With no hope beckoning.
Ours is a bad market
Of Covid and corruption bracket.
A year of golden opportunity
For our corrupt leading community
Who stashed at home the bullions
Of public Covid billions.
Building treatment centers for ghost
While they sit at home to toast.
Our cosmic year of turbulence,
Their year of earthly opulence.
Struck with hunger to hate
We depend on our immunity of faith.
Left in darkness to grope,
We depend on inner light of hope.
PROFILE OF THE GUEST EDITOR
MEET THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
REBECCA ROBINSON studied fashion design in Atlanta, Ga. and continued her education at North Carolina Central University where she majored in Art/ VisualCommunications and graduated with high honors. Her background also includes art history, printmaking, photography, graphic design, film, and creative marketing. Rebecca is mostly known for her fashion design company psnob.com (pronounced snob) which launched in 2001. In the spring of 2019, Rebecca began the initial stages of forming her nonprofit organization called “ONE ARRT TM”, which will become the first art supply brand that specifically supports all artists, art organizations, art education, museums/galleries and communities in need who would prosper with proper funding and resources. Rebecca has also contributed towards several nonprofit organizations throughout the country by auctioning her one of a kind handbags and fine art. Rebecca’s artwork has been featured in dozens of media outlets including; Jezebel Magazine, Pattern Magazine, New York Examiner, Points North Magazine, Indianapolis Monthly Magazine, The National Endowment Of The Arts and recently exhibited her painting made with the medium concrete and tar of jazz legend Miles Davis at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. In the summer of 2019, Rebecca was selected by the Arts Council of Indianapolis to showcase her work for the annual High Art Billboard project (2019-2020). Rebecca is also a self-published author of the book “Arts Honor”. In 2018, Rebecca released the award-winning documentary film “The Color of Medicine” in which she worked as a co-producer and media manager. In honor of the historic documentary film, Rebecca received an official scroll from Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas from the county of Los Angeles for her contribution to preserving an important part of history and giving back to the community of St. Louis and beyond.
MEET THE Projects Curator And Brave Voices Poetry Journal Influencer.
MBIZO CHIRASHA, Chronicler at Africa Writers Caravan. Founder and Author of the Time of the Poet. UNESCO-RILA Affiliate Artist. Featured Poetry Artist at WorldBeyondWar.Org. Freedom of Speech Fellow to PEN- Zentrum Deutschland,Germany..Literary Arts Activism Diplomatie 2020 Poet in Residence at the Fictional Café (International publishing and literary digital space). 2019 Sotambe Festival Live Literature Hub and Poetry Café Curator. 2019 African Fellow for the International Human Rights Art Festival( ihraf.org) , Essays Contributor to Monk Art and Soul Magazine in United Kingdom .Arts Features Writer at the International Cultural Weekly .His Profiles , Interview and Poems are featured on poesis.si ,in Slovenia. Founder and Chief Editor of WOMAWORDS LITERARY PRESS. Founder and Curator of the Brave Voices Poetry Journal. Co-Editor of Street Voices Poetry triluangal collection( English , African Languages and Germany) intiated by Andreas Weiland in Germany. Poetry Contributor to AtunisPoetry.com in Belgium. African Contributor to DemerPress International Poetry Book Series in Netherlands. African Contributor to the World Poetry Almanac Poetry Series in Mongolia. His latest 2019 collection of experimental poetry A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT was released by Mwanaka Media and Publishing and is both in print, on Amazon.com and at is featured at African Books Collective. Mbizo Chirasha is the Originator of the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign. Founder and Creative Director of Girl Child Talent Festival and GirlChildCreativity Project. 2003 Young Literary Arts Delegate to the Goteborg International Book Fair Sweden (SIDA AFRICAN PAVILION) .2009 Poet in Residence of the International Conference of African Culture and Development (ICACD) in Ghana.The Vice President of Poetsof the WORLD,poetasdelmundo.com ,African Region. Global Peace Chain Ambassador. 2009 Fellow to the inaugural UNESCO- Africa Photo- Novel Publishers and Writers Training in Tanzania. 2015 Artist in Residence of the Shunguna Mutitima International Film and Arts Festival in Livingstone, Zambia. A globally certified literary arts influencer, Writer in Residence and Recipient of the EU-Horn of Africa Defend Defenders Protection Fund Grant, Recipient of the Pen Deutschland Exiled Writer Grant. He is an Arts for Peace and Human Rights Catalyst, the Literary Arts Projects Curator, Poet, Writer, publicist is published in more 420 spaces in print and online.
BRAVE VOICES POETRY JOURNAL-A digital literary arts culture republic featuring Resistance Poetry and Voices of Mass Instruction . Speaking hard truth to Abusers of Power , Telling Transparency to greed and corrupt political leadership. Wielding Pen for the upholding of human rights. WordSlingers in trenches in their struggle for Freedom of Expression and Freedom after Expression.
BRAVE VOICES 