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Best Poems Written by Adefemi Adejuwon

Below are the all-time best Adefemi Adejuwon poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

Shangri-La

So I wrote again. This took longer than it should have. Only fair to warn you, this is a long one.

SHANGRI-LA

Prologue

The village gates stood, like old men stand

Worn with age and bent by time

Rust had claimed each iron face

As had wrinkles done with mine

The iron giants stood apart

Shaking  as the north wind blew

Creaking as their maker passed

I felt certain that they knew

 

I am leaving Wuling now

Gripped she by the throes of death

Touched she by the hands of time

Breathed she the last of her breath

Nature would not save Wuling

Famine leeched away her life

Pes-tilence claiming  her people

Among them, my sons and wife

 

Pain speaks every language known

So I found when it found me

And while not all men know its tongue

I've come to speak it fluently

Hard times then were made much worse

My mind, seeking to reflect

Made my memories seem as curse

I, not master of pain yet

 

I was young, when youth prevailed

What held youth but sweeter days

And a certain frame of mind

That was bent on foolish ways?

We were fools ere wisdom came

We were glad to dream of heaven

Religion held our vices tame

Schooling us on sins of seven

We were glad and light of mind

Pleased with all our blind eyes saw

Joy, the birthright of mankind

Would dwell with us forevermore

 

We were young when youth prevailed

Nimble minds, and bodies strong

But the reign of youth was short

And we found that we were wrong

They came upon us sudddenly

The weeks of cold, the months of drought

A strange disease swallowing my people

Spitting shrunken corpses out

We had hoped but hoped in vain

I had prayed, it came to nought

I, once smith of a large village

Leaving it through gates I wrought

 

Shangri-la

Heaven having failed in hope

Hope itself found wanting

Having lost all I can lose

I am left with nothing...

I will go to find respite

Where the dreams of men collect

Where the signs of hard years fade

And the weary can forget

 

I will go to Shangri-la

Ease to soul and peace to mind

Strength to all those weak in body

All that man can hope to find

I am going to Shangri-la

South of God and north of men

West of every broken dream

East of those who hoped in them

 

Shangri-la, covered in snow

Dwelling there, the ageless Yeti

Older than the sons of men

Wiser than the stars are many

I am going to Shangri-la

Earth's last sign of heaven touch

Hidden from the eye of man

Kept outside of evil's watch

I am going to Shangri-la

Nature's lastborn wrapped in ice

Whitened by freedom from taint

Holy mountain paradise

I am going to Shangri-la

Far beyond the reach of time

Far above the grasp of fate

Webs spun of it's own design

 

Utopia will bring relief

Severing chains of desolation

Re-acquiantance with belief

By the aid of restoration

Let the past relent in chase

That the haunt of loss may cease

Gone sons, to a better place

Found wife, an eternal peace

 

Refuge be found in holy haven

Pain be lost on mystic land

Moved by change on tidal waters

As in castles made with sand

Shangri-la, a last resort

Sought by many, found by few

Hidden in the Himalayas

Shielded from external view

Shangri-la, paradise lost

Closed to all enslaved to vice

Seen by he whose need is most

Never found by one man twice

 

Shangri-la, the name brings warmth

Weathered face wrinkling to smile

I set on the road to rest

Which I know is marked with trial

Leaving all I know behind

That my pieces be made whole

I am going to Shangri-la

Peace to mind and ease to soul...

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

Zanaku, Grey Wolf.

He walks at night,
It sleeps by day,
Basking in the moonlight,
Or so they say,
With the form of a wolf,
And the soul of a man,
With a tale that can move,
And a mind that can plan,
With a coat of gray hair,
And eyes always crying,
People seem to care,
People are always lying,
He howls at the moon,
So desolate and sad,
Good times go too soon,
As did all that he had,
Living in the woods,
So far from redemption,
Plagued by dark thoughts,
Too many to mention,
The gray wolf walks alone,
Carrying his past,
All that he called his own,
Found it hard to last,
Staring at the clouds,
And standing in their rain,
Find no relief from his constant pain,
Such a doleful look,
Calls on the heart to bleed,
Life gave and then it took,
All that he came to need,
So he rises to go,
Lonely, though no one cares,
As if they didn't know,
Lone wolves don't come in pairs.

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

The Poet

It is a fever.

  
The poet

They found the poet outside the park

His steps spoke many words of wine

His upper half seemed half asleep

And his feet walked a crooked line

His arms were spread as if to fly

His lips apart as though to speak

The telltale flush of liquid joy

Told tales of  rum from cheek to cheek

The night herself caroused with him

Drunk on sadness, drunk on care

And drink they drank, the weary lovers

Setting wine against despair

The bonds of reason, broken down

His mind amok, and absent sense

The world in woe, the world in glory

Lay before his presidence

 

And it was then they walked to him

Rudely rousing man from dream

Casting eye on village bard

Taking man as man would seem

"Sing for us again, o bard

Cast your words at senses keen"

This was why they broke his peace

Winters twice his summers seen

"Sing for us again o bard

Spin sweet words from bitter truth

Stir the embers of your heart

Dig through elder years to youth. And

Let the fountain spring with might!!

Showering us with wisdom earned

Showing us the link in hand

Of teachers harsh and lessons learned

Free yourself from wine's embrace!

We would hear a tale or two"

Turns to them, a wizened face

"Ask not man, but what is due."

Graying eyes regard the gathered

Moving on, from face to face

"The world whirls in the hands of time

And yet all things remain in place"

"As yet all men remain the same

The board reset a dozen times

Pi-eces unaltered, so is game

Though rearranged, the given lines

You come to me as bank to debtor

You plague me with unbridled want

Says at last, man to tormentor

'Cease at once your unjust haunt""

It is a fever

"It is not a gift so given

It is not a boon bestowed

Nor is sight beheld as blessing

When the eyes have overflowed

With the sorrows of existence

Pain cavorts with all men born

Know the price of your persistence

Hear the words of man forlorn

What is loss compared to weakness?

What is pain compared to need?

When the soul suffers from sickness

To give blood to those who bleed

O for those suffering in secret

O for hidden scars concealed

Know a secret's mark of secrets

Is in wounds that never healed

The world at large, and I remain

Numb in spirit, numb of mind

My inner coldness feed by pain

Reaped from years left far behind

 

It is a fever that I have

It is an illness I possess

It is a symptom that you worship

It is a sign that you profess

To love, to need, to love to hear

While I remain diseased of soul

You chant and clap then disappear

Then falls to me, each telling's toll

 

It is a sadness that I feel

It is madness that I suffer

When the muses offer gifts

Turn your backs and run for cover

Talent has a price, and paid

This price I have, each passing day

Rise to cup and rise to can

Drink my fill then come what may

All my masters come before me

Warned me of the poet's curse

Know you all of Byron's story

Know you all that Poe's was worse

Happiness is bound to beauty

Joy to all that beauty, see

But for those that birth said beauty

All is pain and tragedy

Listen to my fading voice, now

Listen to my silent plea

Know the doom of every poet

And ask of this, no more from me

I will fellowship with Bacchus

Gimlets of the finest sort

Rise to can and drunken glory

Fall to pleasure and cavort

Now my night bids me return

Wine is all that shields from sorrow

Sets me free from all concern

Trouble enough, will be tomorrow"

His soul unburdened, back unbent

All is caught in a lengthy pause

He turns to go, the air is rent

With sounds of cheer, and of applause

Now lowering balding head to ground

"Man may speak but none may hear

Sing for us again o Bard,

Has now become a thing to fear"

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

On Many Things

It was a voice in my head
A whisper in my ear
A sound I've come to dread
A thing I've come to fear
It was the look in its eyes
On a face whiter than snow
Seeing through all my lies
Uncovering that I do not show
It was the power in its stare
Showing what I don't want to see
Saying your time is near
And you can neither hide nor flee
It was the words it said
Creeping into me in a whisper
Telling me that she is dead
Telling me I know I'll miss her
It was what it forced me to see
Things I've hidden away with denial
Things I said I'd never be
For which I'll surely stand on trial
It is what I will become
A thrall of the shadow
Death's own son
Libera nos a malo!!!
It is what I feel
Black bleak sadness
Pain I wish wasn't real
Driving me to the brink of madness
It is what I stand for
My prerogative
The urge to always be more
My reason to live

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

The Battle Within

Sparks fly in the air
Lights glow in the dark
I am gripped by fear
As my worst nightmare attacks
It's shriek pierces my soul
It's roar tests my bravery
This battle has left my control
And no one is here to save me
The air gets colder
The light gives out
The darkness gets bolder
And I'm filled with doubt
I'm standing on a bridge, hewn  from stone
It lies between the world and my mind
Now as it approaches, I'm all alone
But this demon of mine must stay confined
It must never escape from inside me
For the world cannot withstand it
And even though I may no longer be
I will do all I can to hinder it
I summon the courage I used to lack
And stand there dumbfounded
It's eyes glow a fiery glow
It's wings are made of fire
It's sinister smirk scares me so
And I know it's one desire
Huge and menacing, it comes before me
I must now perform my appointed task
'Ancient and evil you may be,
But you shall not pass.'

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

Redemption

The time has come,
The hour is at hand,
The place foretold,
Is where we stand,
Take a breath,
Clear your mind,
Leave thoughts of death,
And fear behind,
Look to the stars,
Strain your eyes,
The truth you seek,
There it lies,
If you try,
The sights will come,
Lose yourself,
To freedom,

You can see the sky,
Weeping,
Mourning for a fallen earth,
One that's doomed to die,
Yet is sleeping,
Throwing away all its worth,
You can see the clouds,
Darkening,
Threatening to hurl down their rain,
Men have put on shrouds,
They're not hearkening,
Causing more of their own pain,
Condemned by their actions,

Take a break,
Rest your mind,
Here what's at stake,
Is all mankind,
But don't lose hope,
Keep your faith strong,
And let us help,
To right this wrong,
You feel the chills,
Go up your spine,
Your heart it feels,
We're out of time,
All is not lost,
All's not in vain,
Now calm yourself,
And look again,

Can you see death,
Smiling,
Thinking that the battle is won,
Faith will soon reveal,
A silver lining,
Redeeming all the fallen ones,
Clothed in forgiveness,

Now I see a light,
Shining,
Fighting against the shadow's scourge,
So unstoppable,
And so blinding,
From faith a second chance is forged,
Now rejoin the living.

Details | Adefemi Adejuwon Poem

The Maelstrom In My Heart

Unsure I stand,
Of how to feel,
Distraught within, without,
Although I planned,
To be as steel,
I'm soft without a doubt,
A 'she' has come,
To bend my mind,
And claim my smitten soul,
Stole my freedom,
And so I find,
I'm robbed of self-control,
O siren maid,
Such strong dark spells,
You have cast on my heart,
A heart that has strayed,
From where it dwells,
Will surely fall apart,
Where can I go?
What can I do?
When will this madness end?
If I feel so,
Then so must you,
Or do you just pretend?
You give me pain,
But take my peace,
A poor exchange for pleasure,
I struggle in vain,
To earn your kiss,
A fool beguiled by treasure.