Oloyede's Blog

Out of the Battle by Olatuja Oloyede

- September 25, 2015

OUT OF THE BATTLE

Where buries the noise of the battle?

My gallantry and my rattle?

Has the pains of the past

Faded this so fast?

Where lies the redden spears

To where flows my victims tears?

Why so soon dries my blood?

Comrades, weren’t we in a raging flood?

What whispers behind my head?

Ignorance makes me dread

O I’m here beyond the grips of war

Pains of death I feel no more!

And there lies in the field my pride

Am I really on the other side?

Free from the earth which is indeed a den

Free from the brutality of men.

© Olatuja Oloyede

To My Dead Soldier Brother

- August 27, 2016

I just decide to write this today.... At a friend's mom golden jubilee....

It was a raining day in the giant trees and the swords are still clashing.

The sky above the world is rending with lightening and thunder

And our world is bleeding with the blood our our fallen brothers.

60 days have slithered sluggishly through my aging brow

Yet, our guns have known no solitude.

60 nights of darkness could not queit the watching eyes of brave men

We battled the beasts in men and confront the rage of kings

we all may not return to the warmth of love and pleasures of rest

But when my soldier brother fell at dawn by a million bullets

I stood drenched in deep terror of silence over his body

Beholding the hands that once move mountains

The legs that climbed the height of valour

The man whose deeds will re-echo through all eternity

Killed but not silent by the dark messager

The sky cries, the earth quakes, hell trembles and heaven quivers

Brother, there are no foes on the other side

So wait for us in the thicket

Soon we shall exploit the world yonder together.....

© Olatuja Oloyede

- November 08, 2016

I have Chosen to be a Man

(Dedicated to the guy who stole my power bank)

As the waves of music rustle my heart

I sail down the seas of wonders

Then he appeared in the twilight wind

And sits awhile with me.

Who he was and what he wants

I do not know

A smile was hanging on his jaw

All about the stranger was strange

And before I could say "Jack!"

He was gone

And so was my gun with him

Though he came as an angel

Yet he was a thief

Now vanished as a demon in the mist

Thunder rumbling in heart

Lightening flashing through my head

I burn with heat and anger

I dashed down the isle

Searched through the valleys

And floated over the hills

Then I beheld him yonder

Scampering through the woods

With the looted goods

When I caught him I do not spare him

My mouths became the spring of insults

He was a faithful recipient of my slaps

As he begged me to spare his head

His words kindled the idle faggots of love within

And I let him be...

Walking back home was hell

I do not just felt sorry for him

I felt angry for getting angry

I shouldn't have slapped him

I could have smile and let him be

But I have chosen to always be a man...