Best Counsel Poems
Others found him cold, aloof
a bit of a snob
He kept his own counsel
had nary a friend
Seemed content with a life
unengaged, to no clear end
Though his insides were churning
through felt rejection
his embittered heart burning --
Yet on his face not a trace
of his inner discernings
of deep-buried yearnings
JUSTICE REALLY CANNOT DELIVER TRUE JUSTICE UNLESS "JUSTICE"MAKES ITSELF "TRUE jUSTICE",AND THE ONLY WAY "REAL JUSTICE" CAN DO THAT IS BY "TENDERING JUDGEMENT WITH MERCY"!!! NEITHER THE CONGRESS OR THE SENATE IS DOING "JUSTICE"? DID BOTH OF THESE BODIES LOOSE ,OR REALIZE WHAT THE DEFINITION OF "JUSTICE REALLY MEANS? THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS THE ONE WHO LIKES TO BRING ABOUT CONFUSSION. THERE IS A "DUTY" THAT IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR "JUSTICE TO BE ACHIEVED"! JUDGEMENT IS NECESSARY,AND MERCY IS REQUIRED SO THAT "JUSTICE CAN SUCCEED AND FULFILL THE NEED TO BE "JUST"!!!!!THOSE WHO PRACTICE LAW,AND GET PAID A GREAT BIG SALARY ARE REQUIRED BY "JUSTICE" TO BE "JUST"AND THE ONLY WAY TO DELIVER JUSTICE IS TO JUDGE,AND TENDER JUDGEMENT WITH MERCY,OTHERWISE THE JUDGEMENT IS NOT "JUST" AND DOES NOT DELIVER "JUSTICE"! THE LAWYER BECOMES "THE CRIMINAL"IF HE OR SHE WILL NOT DELIVER "JUSTICE"! JUSTICE IS JUDGEMENT TENDERED WITH MERCY!!!! THE FACTS LETS US SEE WHAT IS TRUE,AND WE CAN BE JUST AS WE JUDGE BASED ON THE FACTS,AND TENDER OUR "JUDGEMENTS" WITH MERCY,SO THAT "JUSTICE CAN SHINE THROUGH"""'
I'm writing to you, youth of today, hoping you will read my words of advice. I know you think you've heard it all many times before, the well-meaning counsel from others, but don't tune me out just yet, and please don't roll your eyes at me. You'd be wise to open them to see what life has to offer.
Your mind and heart will often wish to walk down two different paths. Time and again you've heard it said, "Follow your heart," but believe me when I say, "Your heart can be treacherous." Too often it beats in rhythm so loud that it ignores the thoughts inside your head. I've fallen victim to my own heart, so I write to you after suffering from heartache. I encourage you to let your conscience be your guiding light, and if you do, you'll walk away from shadows that would lead you into darkness.
It's important that you respect others, as well as yourself. Do not disregard the quality of self-esteem; it's a crutch you should proudly lean upon. Place a high value on the goals you strive to reach, always aiming higher for more. Pay attention to what life has to teach you, and never lose sight of right and wrong. Be strong in faith, and believe in a higher being. Be humble enough to admit your faults, never giving up on the virtue of hope, for you will find it has the power to heal the emotional wounds you are bound to feel.
Do not doubt yourself on the word of others. They may cause you to stumble. Have confidence in yourself to rise and continue on your way, knowing that tomorrow the sun will rise on a brand new day. If it helps to lighten your burden, it's perfectly fine if you cry. Remember this... no one is perfect, so forgive yourself and move on instead of wallowing in pity or shame as a victim pointing a finger of blame. Looking at people in the eye will help you to avoid telling them a lie, resulting in feelings of guilt.
I know I've given you a lot to ponder, but if you do, I promise that the person in the mirror looking back at you will often be wearing a smile.
December 23, 2020
Edward Ibeh's Contest: Your Advice to the Youth
If your legal counsel on civil rights
is Jeff Sessions,
then you most certainly learned legal precedent
for validity of crossing your fingers
or your toes
or even just imagine doing so
while denouncing economic and political racism
as evil
and likewise evil,
perpetuating enslavement to fear
and anger
and hate-mongering
among Just Us Good Ol' Boys,
Locker Room Talkers and Marchers
favoring White elitism,
Well then Jesus,
and Trinitarian SuperDivine MightMakesCapitalismRight Patriarchy Incorporated,
will legally and morally absolve you through immaculate partnership,
naturally and spiritually forgive you,
And you shall remain among the select redeemed
despite your Only White Lives Have Ruled The NestBest
alternative rhetorical fact marketing
required, for now,
with fingers crossed
behind your Counselor's two-faced lie.
You can no more stand pre-millennial idly by
while a Civil Rights Movement
was, and still is, marching through your capital-investments,
without making a part of the post-millennial problem statement,
any more than you can stand innocently by
while White supremacists
are marching through your massive media exposure
without already having mentored
a source of the racist self-denial of anti-patriotic supremacy,
our extant great trans-millennial ecopolitical problem.
Lady,
I am flattered at your skill at harm
Now let me see your skill to build
Tearing down has certain vulgar charm
My soul is but a poet's giant mill
And there is nowhere I intersection find
With shared values or shallow mind
The poet is above reproach, others tried
Before our time, and broken hearted died.
Meddlers
Have an inner need to mature and know
The stream that passes them moving slow
Carries very strong current below
Respect this flow, then into the waters go.
We are bothered
By fanatasy of the mind, with no line between
The possible and the impossible, the real
Becomes what anxiety designs, hearts unclean
See a world the same, and lose it in their zeal
Lady,
Do not die in panic because the bee can sting
Enjoy its honey, learn industry there
For even with fast flapping wings it will sing
And pollinate flowers to blight despair.
Name of Contest: Listen to the Wind
Sponsor's Name: Constance La France
Date Written: 5th September, 2025.
Poem Placement: Second
The speech of the winds is understood not by the ears but by the eyes— By Poet.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not only does the wind sing — it speaks too,
At times in whispers, at times it thunders,
Strangely enough, humans know its language,
For it speaks in our various native tongue.
It foretells the course of natural events—
when rains will fall, when long dry spells will reign,
when nature rages and seeks appeasement from us,
And when its pleasures, too, it longs to share with glee.
Though all may hear, but only a few discern—
those who attend the whispers of the wind;
They are deemed wise, for wisdom rules their minds,
They make hay when sun shines, and store for rainy days.
No day goes by without the wind making speech,
Yet we're thrilled more by its song than by counsel.
Still it speaks, so it behooves on us to listen.
Not that it speaks in a tongue too strange for us—
yet some ears remain deaf to what it says;
But no eyes are blind to all it reveals,
So if ears hear none, the eyes will yet see all.
A counsel house
12.45pm
Head Office?
It's in Dover,
Well that's depressing in itself!
Smiley faces and OMG's to the fore.
A clinical appearance in reception,
Is that depressing in its own way?
Clinical I mean.
Women move about,
Black and white;
A grey area perhaps?
Fifteen minutes early
Old school values of course are
Never too late.
Time for a hygiene check,
Prostrated naturally
Two flights up.
Thank goodness I'm upwardly mobile!
Sitting in a tight corner gives optimum insight,
Tendrils of cuppa-soup invade my senses.
"Tea or coffee?"
Politely refused whist I consider up-chucking.
Mushroom and croûtons have that affect
While waiting on counsel at lunchtime.
As in the garden of Eden, Adam,
The first man I've seen,
Clipboard and sandwiches in hand
Heads for the exit.
Down-town for lunch with Eve perchance!
More smiley faces and OMG's galore.
Old school values shiver.
A strange world to work in.
Magnolia prevails,
The heavens are white above
Whilst Edwardian Ogee draws a line
On a stone grey bottom.
Somehow time has stood still.
The silent office clock strikes one,
So my Gucci is four minutes fast
Typical of the Italians,
Over wound and highly sprung.
An invitation from Linda
Who looks human, serene,
To follow her down to the basement.
Passing the 'Blue Room',
Fenshui driven?
Hai!
I see the signs to "Mind your Head!"
So, body a-limbo, it's all down hill
To a mediaeval chamber where who knows
What torture awaits?
The tide of time shall stamp its mark on your face
Making less fair the stunning charm of your youth,
The jealous spell of age shall rob you of your gleam
To leave you a mere shadow of the hey-time Ruth.
Your well-measured strides shall falter to a careless trot
Against the heaviness of legs occasioned by the tear
That heartless time inflicts on its blind mortal consumers,
Who savor its spiced bits ignorant of its well-calculated wear.
Newer beauties will rise from under your old feet
To replace your forced exit from the pageant seats,
You will look back to reminisce about the cute past
And see clearly how time quashes coveted feats.
So when younger beauties rise to take your place,
Exit without a murmur and let more tender roses
Take the place of the crumpled old, and take a photo
To show the younger how time crushed your poses.
UNDER THE TREE
Under the mango tree,
On the wooden chair he sat,
Resting his head on the tree,
Watching the movement on the ground by the ants,
Old man of many ages,
His grey hair speaks volumes of his wisdom,
Wisdom of great inspirations,
The words of his mouth always calm and mild,
And his walking stick lies in between his legs.
Men seeks his counsel under the tree,
With rapt attention they listen,
And their hearts made glad from his sayings,
The weary souls came alive from his words.
He always say “hide not the truth and let goodwill prevail”.
ANYABOLU IFEANYI DOMINION GENTLE
15 FEB 2019
A few drops dribbled down the eyes
As she opened them after a deep slumber
of almost 8 hours to be exact.
and the water from the tap did little
to clear the dust and stop the on-flow
as it kept coming down her cheeks.
The memory of the current dream resolved
all the guilty conscience and too many words would be
too little to say to store this series of thought.
Whenever she woke at this early hour, she would go
get the papers from her grand-Daddy's room,
recollects she, as she looks into the mirror.
There, he is lying in his bed, where I lay now,
and how strange that he should be there, when I know
he's gone. Yet, there he is, and I walk into his room
and I ask him the question in mind,
"You really haven't gone, na?", says I to which he replies,
"Not yet, dear, not yet, but I will I feel it........
.....but I am here now, to tell you to work hard,
and don't worry or be sad for me, it is just to happen.
Your end's too far. I've worked my best out of all that
I've got, now is your time to learn, so don't think of
anything you couldn't do for me which is the first human thought
after a death, instead think of all that I taught......
.....now I'll get my peace and we'll meet soon." And I stood there,
wondering which words to pick, and I didn't want to commit the last
mistake, so I told him what I couldn't then, "Daddy, I was sorry I couldn't
look into your eyes, and I didn't even get to hug you or kiss you
goodbye.", I grabbed my last chance this time as I hugged and kissed him,
and let him lie there in peace, I went away and so did that dream.
So, we'll meet, let's not worry, thought she
and got the papers from outside, taking it into
her grandfather's room where they always were.
She switched on the T.V. and got onto the bed,
now a little comfort she found, just in the
eyes and the smile she embraced.
Apart from my Reason in all of my schemes:
I gave up pretending to live in Her dreams
My vexing ambition for solace had turned
By then, the intrigue of our love brightly burned
Our hearts were pretenders which writhed in the dust
From Love to deception, deception to lust
Content in our sorrow, we buried our shame
We played with our motives, assigning the blame
With demons as counsel, we came out at night
The words which we peddled were senseless and trite
Devoid of ambition, I gave up the ghost
Of All My Intention, I miss Her the most
I wake in this silence with all of my thoughts
With each passing second, our trust slowly rots
Between my synapses, I find Her asleep
Disgruntled, this silence is all we would reap...
Some Helpful Counsel During Hard Times
By Elton Camp
If a financial emergency should unexpectedly arise
There’s an easy solution right there before your eyes
Payday loan stores are everywhere and do what’s right
To get you get out of whatever is your own fiscal tight
As to the interest the places charge, don’t make a fuss
You will have to pay what they ask, so no need to cuss
If your debt you can’t pay in full as soon as its due.
The place will make it very easy the loan to renew
Maybe some of your extravagant goods you can drop
For a loan at the friendly neighborhood pawnshop
You can always excuse it with the hopeless dream
That your loan you can repay and articles redeem
You claim that you paid five thousand for that ring?
At the pawnshop though, only a hundred will it bring.
If you arrive even one day late to redeem your gold
You are likely to find that for a profit it has been sold
So, my wise advice is, to stay out of financial water deep
The help of payday loans and pawnshops you must seek
My friend, if this writing you have very carefully read
I hope that you have decided to do the opposite instead
Down the road I was a-walkin', and
to myself I was a-talkin', when
suddenly came there comes a-stalkin', a
mysterious little man;
His wrinkled face, his ragged cloak,
his crooked back and oak cane spoke
of the travails of time which choke
the sinew of the soul;
'I was like you once, young lad, Oh
dreams and hopes and plans I had, that
drifted off like smoke and clad, now
am I in despair';
'For I like you am but a man
but flesh are we, we're no more than
the grains of sand and dust that span
the earths four corners over';
'But unlike me you still believe, that
one day you might reach - achieve
those goals, those dreams - and yet naieve
are all your fantasies';
'Though I be old and you be young, and
I am spent - my soul once sung, the
same song yours sings now - yet flung
away is all that mist';
Spellbound I stood pondering, the
the old man's counsel wondering
if indeed I ought be fearing, aught
that the old fool uttered.
March 25 Faith in God Bible Meditations Based on Judges 18-21
Key Verse – Judges 18:5 … Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
FAITH IN GOD WHO GIVES US WISE COUNSEL
God gives us wise counsel against discouragement
For us to overcome emptiness-ailment
As we seek His will in our Bible reading-engagement
With faith’s trust in His empowerment.
God gives us wise counsel against worldliness
For us to practice holy steadfastness
As we stick to His Word of truthfulness
With faith’s drive toward good works’ bountifulness.
God gives us wise counsel against pride
For us to keep on staying on His side
As we exalt Him and in His grace, always hide
With faith’s diligence to strive for heavenly stride.
God gives us wise counsel against falling into iniquity
For us to become prayerful in our wholehearted sincerity
As we flee from temptations by His strength so mighty
With faith’s conviction to stand upon His authority.
God gives us wise counsel against attacks of pressure
For us to find peace in His compassion beyond measure
As we admit our unbelief in His promises that assure
With faith’s determination to live for His pleasure.
God gives us wise counsel against complaining
For us to submit to Him despite fleshly whining
As we worship Him Who is majestically reigning
With faith’s thanksgiving for vision’s brightening.
God gives us wise counsel against mourning because of despair
For us to move on by His compassion and care
As we praise Him that His Gospel we can share
With faith’s empowerment and courage that divinely dare.
March 25, 2025
In all your ways,
Indeed your endeavours,
grow big and tall.
Not so you look down
on the short and stunted;
and not so you crush
the small and fragile
But grow tall and big –
so big, everyone can touch you.