What Ifs

What if...
     ?
     ?
     ?
Less is more.

Role Play

The roles of observer and observed.
The duality of attitude and character.
As the actor and the audience,
I play the roles of artist and critic.

Extra Time

How about I add an extra hour or two to your day, ah?
What will you do with it?
What about an extra day to the week?
What dull or elaborate plans will you make?
Know this, the extra time is not for work.
Ah?
Yep, no work.
It is not a weekday or a weekend.
It is a day meant for you
To do as you will..
Climb a mountain,
Hitchhike a ride,
Approach the person who gives you butterflies in the stomach,
Say those words that have been itching to come out,
Sew a dress or shirt,
In fact, do these and more
Cos the day will not end until you are done...
Yeah, it won't
So get started already!

Shopping List

My neighbour has a wife and two kids

His younger brother is not married, no kids and has a shopping list

My neighbour is worried about his brother

Their uncle died with no kids

This neighbour's brother has a degree, no girlfriends

My neighbour is worried that his brother will became like their uncle;

Wifeless, childless, DEAD.

My neighbour makes his brother understand his fears

And abruptly the fear of the family

So neighbour's brother gives neighbour his shopping list

'She should be a graduate,

Must not like going out,

Along with all the qualities one wants in a wife.'

So anyone care to apply?

** I am sort of making fun of this because when my sister told me about our neighbour looking for a wife for his brother, I made the joke about shopping lists and then she dropped the bombshell, the guy did have a shopping list. So do I. What about you?

Misinterpretation

You got it all wrong
You really did
My words were not might to hurt
But to motivate

You missed the essence of my words
In the heat of your misinterpretation

Don't get it twisted
I don't owe you an apology
If I did I wouldn't hesitate to say these words
I am sorry

Don't blame me if you mistook the word 'curious'
To mean 'serious'
Come on, SERIOUSLY!

So the next time you have a problem with my lyrics
Don't hesitate to come to me
I might just improve your vocabulary

*'Inspired' by colleagues who are angry about something I said and its assumed meaning and instead of telling me about it, went over my head. It has been suggested that I apologize, which of course I will not do, but do I need to explain what I meant to them? After all, they got it all twisted. Have you gotten yourself misunderstood before? What did you do about it?

Boxing People

I like looking at things and considering them in different perspectives. Of late, I have realized that most people I know or I've met, have the tendency to believe the worst in other people, be they strangers or familiar. Has this tendency been always there, staring at me glaringly in the face, and I have not noticed or maybe I have refused to notice?

This brings to mind one of my musings, "@God: Why is it so easy for us to believe in evil then in goodness? Why do we believe the worst of people then in their capacity to be good? Why are we disillusioned with the truth and would not believe it even if it struck us? Why do we go along with what is false? Do people know what truth is anymore?" I remember the ethics course I took while in the university; in the first class we had we talk about what was classified as good and bad. Apparently, there is no good or bad; the society determines as time goes on activities that fall into the categories of good or bad. So something can be said to be inherently good or bad but it is open to interpretation in the contest of which it is being said. So an action, which is executed today and called good can be done again in a different time and be called bad. Don't know where I am going with this yet?

Can we stop placing people into neat little boxes of society's classifications? Give people a chance to, as I always say, 'box' themselves? Obviously, we can't look at everyone through rose-coloured glasses but not everyone is the 'everyone is doing it'-type either.

I listen to my instincts when it comes to people, with some people I get the 'bad vibe' and others the 'good vibe' but more often then not the vibe is in-between. So far, I haven't been wrong. I 'flow' well with the 'good vibe' people and try to surround myself with such but I have the in-between ones too. With the 'bad vibe', I am polite, civil, all the good adjectives, but there is always the wall of 'please, don't get too close.' Perhaps these are my neat little 'boxes'. I guess we can't help but classify people, if not out loud maybe in our minds, but first let us give them a chance to prove us wrong or rather 'box' themselves?

Enjoy the weekend.

Satiated

"AaaahH! that's good", looking around, hands on hips and nodding.
Smile of satisfaction, infusing eyes with translucent light
A deep sign
Hands held high and stretching the body.
There is a reason for this
Why we take pleasure in little things
Crafted in His image
Filled with His emotions and delights too?
I'd like to imagine
That He did the first four lines after creation
It was all good
Satiation

* Does it help to say I started this a few minutes before I had lunch and continued afterwards? Explains the start but not the finish, right? I got thinking about how I enjoy small seemingly insignificant things. Sometimes we need to stop and take a few things in; like enjoying the taste of food in your mouth and wonder of a full stomach. Appreciate...

Race, No Winners or Losers!

In this race, the one who arrives first is not the winner
Neither is the one who finished last, the loser
The one who endured till the end was not crowned for patience
The one who rushed in might get discouraged
Those who stopped seeking might never find;
Some will settle for less
There remains, those who never sought, yet found; who had given up on all but hope.
In this race, define who you are:
Game? Hunter?
Friend? Foe?
Lover? Fighter?
Found? Lost?
Seeker? Sojourner?

En Limbo

Caught between two emotions
Both strong and demanding attention
Give in to one and be labeled an eternal optimist
The other, a nervous melancholic
Living in between
En limbo
Neither here nor there

Losing Control

Amazing!
The gentle tendril reach
Serene
Tranquil
Impossible
Yet it is happening
To me

The feeling
My words cannot fully portray
Loose
Free
Yet vested

Love!
Yes that's what it feels like
Love.
Clear
Calm
Bright
Utterly
Totally
Random.

Inscriptions on a Sign

I am hanging out a Sign
It reads,
"No Dinosaurs Allowed,
Phobias of any kind BEWARE,
Pessimists, and Sycophants are not welcome,
Don't bother reading the sign LIARS, you are in it too,
Non-God Chasers, Hypocrites, Non-Thinkers, and
You (..ah! you know what you are up to)"

*Got the term God Chaser from Jaycee's website; www.lightherlamp.com. Thanks, Jaycee.

Oh, Selfish Poet!

Write about nothing but
Myself.
God,
Hopes,
Dreams,
Passions,
Experiences,
Highs and Lows,
Joys and Sadness,
Family and Friends.


* And everything else in between. (not so selfish after all). LOL.

The Other Woman

Mustn't fight, mustn't fight, ...
I refuse to fight her,
The Other Woman.
She wants to take it all
Why doesn't she just accept it?
The heart that used to be hers
Is now mine.
That no matter what,
She will hold a piece of your heart
That I can't take.

I refuse to fight her
Because I don't want you to choose
Maybe I am afraid that that piece she holds
Is stronger then the portion I have.
I don't want you to make a choice
Because I know it will break your heart.
But ultimately,
I love you too much to let you choose.

I Quit Playing

Ain't playing it anymore
The hide-and-seek game.
It's confusing

When Aku stops playing it
And Mensa,
Then Emefa,
Mamuna, Kuukua, Esi, Akua, Afi, Maa T, Dede, Sefakor, Esinam, Baaba, ...
Then maybe Akwasi, Edem, Kwabena, Sule, Haruna, Kwesi, Agyapong, Ato, Aminu, Kuku, ...
Will stop doubting Nana Ama, Afua, Atswaa, Maaley, Serwaa Akoto, Afriyie, Ejubi, ...

I Love You Sounds Different

I love you
Those words take a new meaning when you say it
Do you mean
I Love You or
i love you
That is why I smile
When you say these words
'cos I don't understand
What do you mean?
Is it I Love You or
i love you?

Addict

Bored, bored, bored. Oh, please don' t stop reading.
I have come to the realization that I am bored because I do not have a project I am enthused about. I have been cracking my brain for sometime now and what I came up with was only fun for a month. A relative creates cute clutch purses for herself to match with her clothe (kaba and slit); so I thought how about I create hair accessories using African print and other materials. I researched and came up with some designs (in my head) about how to go about what I wanted to created. For my efforts, I made a head-scarf (pictures below). Now, I needed a model because I have cut my hair (go figure; why didn't I just create something I could use?) I have not obsessed over a project for awhile now and it will be fun to get that adrenalin rush of accomplishment. Anyway, since I have run out of ideas, I am on the lookout for any suggestions. Keep in mind that it should be something I can do in my spare time with ease. Thank you and keep the ideas coming.

In Love With Yourself

I can't help but wonder
If you are not in love
Your swagger?
A little ding here and there
Your outfit?
The edges could be used as a rule,
Straight and spotless
Your footwear?
Reflective, like mirrors
Your picture?
Impeccable,
You have two fingers balancing your chin
Your expression?
Flawless
Perfectly epitome of 'I know I'm fine'
Your speech?
Deliberate and cultivated
So help me decide
Are you in love with yourself?
Or
You are just full of **it?

Dead in the Brain

No, they are not stupid
They have monotonous jobs
Live monotonous lives
Nothing ever changes
Just the same thing over and over again!
No urge to change
Anything new is frightening
Don't bother to suggest a rendezvous

You will be answered with a shake of the head,

Left, right, left right,

In quick succession

They are not unhappy

But neither are they jubilant

They have settled in

They are part of the furnishing

Endless, timeless

They remain

Brain dead.

The Decision We Made

"Dry, sandy playground with patches of grass sprouting with no design, as their classmates played an assortment of games, three girls, about five or six years old, could be seen with their heads together forming a circle of sorts. Looking at them you would think they are hitching a plan to play a trick on someone; observe their expression and from the emotion that each had on her face you would know they were seriously discussing something. What could six year olds be discussing so solemnly?"

Present:
We have lost touch,Alberta and Cecilia, but I can still remember the pact we made in class one; we were never going to left Mathematics (Maths) defeat us. Through our years in primary  and junior secondary school, we never did; neither did any of the girls in the class. We three led the pack. How are you now, Alby and Naa? I still hold on to my end of the bargain; I never let Mathematics defeat me. What about you two?

* Decisions we make, when we are young, go a long way in determining what we become even when we do not know what the end result will be. I cannot remember who brought the whole idea about the pact but I@ remember it was our second week in class one (One Gold) and while on break we got into a conversation about the kind of lessons we will be having. Someone made mention about the fact that Mathematics is a difficult subject for girls. We stated emphatically that we will be the exception and indeed we were.

Potential Rain

Just some pictures I took with my phone at Shiashi this afternoon. Alas, it did not rain though it threatened to.
Straight from the phone's camera.

After using Microsoft Office Picture Manager and Paint

Your Color

Adorned myself in your color this week
Realized it yesterday
Don't want to analyze the ramifications
Cos I like being in blue
Though I am not blue

In the End

After wondering
Going over and over again in my head
I have come to a conclusion
It doesn't matter
It doesn't matter what happens
You happened
And for that grand moment
We were happy

In Retrospect

Should not have started it at all
It seemed okay at the moment
Taking in all the factors
You should have remained nothing more

Considering the fact that it had happened before
It should have ended with the visit
Previously it was an embrace
With you, it went further

It should have ended with the visit
But it didn't
Thought nothing of it
So innocent

After she asked
The opposite was considered
These were no mere visits
They promised much more
Empty though they were
In the end

Still Here

I'm not gone
I'm still here
To beat my chest in triumph
To enjoy today and all that it brings

I am alive
I'm not gone
Still here
To mix paint
And mortar
Unleash (un)creativity

Oh, I'm still here
I'm not done

Illusions and Delusions

ILLUSIONS

Just like a magician
She wards her wand
A spell she casts
Filled with promises, unspoken
Left to the imagination,
To ponder upon
The rest, to yearn
Till we meet

DELUSIONS

He accepts
He says he does
Promises untold
Left for him to create
In his mind's eye,
A world of sweet desires fulfilled
Till we meet

MUNCH ON THIS

Anything big, starts small. When you are in a group; you are not there because your want to make your parents happy or because everybody is doing so or because it is the cool thing; it behoves on you to give it your best. Some groups are bound to failure because members are not willing to make sacrifices because of their egos. Others fail because everyone wants to lead everyone. It is not going to work in that way. In everything, work at it as if working for God and not man. Do not expect praise for what you know to be a sacrifice but others see as nothing. But be careful not to be caught in the trap of telling every one of the sacrifices you make; we do not want to hear it. Move on or shove off. Others may be making equally or even bigger sacrifices, and are silent about it.
Everyone has a best day; a day, in which everything is just great. Remember someone might resent you for that. On someone’s best day, do not get angry at the person, after all, yours is on its way. If you do not tolerate my joyful mood, why should I yours?
Anyone who is a leader knows for a fact that he or she is a leader. Please, do not rub it in. I mean, do not hype yourself so much that you become like the peacock displaying its finely arranged feathers. We have followers who do not know they are followers. This type of followers I call ‘wonna-be-leaders’. They think themselves better than their leaders. Sometimes this may be true, but know your leader, and leaders know your people and utilize their skills. After all, brains ‘no dey your head alone’. But know this, in spite of the fact there are other leaders within your leadership, understand that not everyone will appreciate your point of view. You cannot be right all the time. In the words of C.S Lewis, “May God’s grace give you the necessary humility. Try not to think-much less, speak of their sins. One’s own are a much more profitable theme! And if on consideration, one can find no faults on one’s own side, then cry for mercy: for this must be a most dangerous delusion.”(Emphasis, my own)
When a suggestion given by you as the solution to tackle an issue is not taken, do not fret about it. You know your solution is the best one. They do not possess the knowledge you have, but be open to new things. Do not rub salt into the wound when the way they chose to resolve the issue does not work out. Ha, you say, I know, it is extremely hard not to gloat. Help out, after all you are part of the group and it affects you as well, even though you did not agree with the decision. No one is going to differentiate you from your group.
You are like peas in a pod when you belong to a group. That is why the choice of membership of a group is yours to make: not your parents, not your friends or even the fact that it will make you look cool. Take pride in the fact that you are different. Know when to bland in and when to be a sheep among goats. It has never served anyone well to always be the one who does the right things, but it does pay in the end; doing the right thing. When? That is up to you. Do you get angry at anything that arouses your displeasure? Come on; loosen up a bit, dear, it isn’t the end of the world. Do not give people the ammunition to throw back at you again. You anger does exactly that.

*This was written during SRC elections in my second year, second semester, at the university.
I was then contemplating whether I should vie for a position. I decided not to in the end.

DUMB AND DUMBER

It’s a game.
The one who can out think the other, wins.
But I know your moves.
And you know mine.
So what is the outcome of this game?
Since you know the game I play,
And I know the game you play.
Can’t we’ll lay our cards on the table?
Peel all the layers away
Reveal the bud within the flower

It is a game we all play
And with eyes wide open, do we play
Each to the own, thinking “I have the best manoeuvres”
But your manoeuvres are mine and mine, yours.
Every move or trick you can dream of
Is already played out in my mind
We all equally matched
We refuse to call it quits
We put our cards on the table
But …………..
Unexpected …………
Something is hidden
Hidden …………………
It will decide the outcome of this game
You know, I know
What is this thing?
Where is it?
Hidden …………..
By me?
By you?
Anyone’s guess
The moves are bared
But not all is revealed
I shy away, you shy away
There is no winner to this endless game
Does that make you dumb and me dumber?
Or does is it rather the other way round?

*I wrote this in my third year in university, and got it published in my year group's handbook when we graduated. Nice!!!