Best Poems Written by Henry Akeru

Experience does not Smile

Experience is that math teacher
who gives you tests before teaching the class
marks it in red
and still expects you to clap

It is that bad friend
standing in the corner with folded arms
showing you its tongue
saying I warned you
but never stopped you

Experience is like hot soup
it never burns from afar
you must taste it wrong
before you learn how to blow

It is a stubborn landlord
that collects rent in advance
no excuses
no balance carried forward

Experience is like a tight shoe
you won’t know the pain at the shop
you will only understand it
halfway through the journey

It laughs like a drum with no cover
loud
unapologetic
especially when you repeat the same mistake twice

Experience is that exam
you cannot cheat in
because the questions
look exactly like your past

It teaches like rain on a zinc roof
noisy
disturbing
but impossible to ignore

Yet somehow
it is the only teacher
that stays after class
until you finally understand

Because experience does not smile
it proves

and if you listen closely
you will hear it say
next time
you will know better

Copyright © Henry Akeru | Year Posted 2026