Was in a car in Nigeria driving to Lagos at about 5:30am, was bored so I looked out the window and realised the extent to which these people hustle, and how insignificant my problems were when compared with theirs. . .short but meaningful hope you enjoy it
I looked from my left to my right,
in fact on both sides
the sights are the same
identical plights
nobodies asleep,hunger opens eyes,
only when lacked, is money truly on one's mind
and moneys truly on their minds,
every single one of them,
the shadowy rejects of a defective government
unpleasant,oh yes, but that's life.
Out here, where people work to death to make a living
ironic shoes an atheist would pray to never fit in,
brain freeze , the thought alones chilling
of a life with no balance, adverse to equilibrium
where what,sown is a lot more than what reaped
and what ,reaped is a lot less than what sown
far from average, they conquer the maze
set all set backs ablaze,and find hope.
..............................................
Poverty's eschewal ,and that I respect
despite situations,dejection they refuse to except
And so they work.Hard.
under the resentment of the sun
beating harder upon their backs with no exceptions for the young
who,sweat laced,would rejoice in making ,our minimum wage
3 pounds 68 per hour, in half a month
in fact the other day,I bought a pack of water from..
well.......practically a baby
bet she couldn't read but damn she new what her change was
A true Naija hustler,yeah that's what I'll call them
this poems a celebration of those who aren't heard of,
and if heard of, are thought of,as unimportant
those Nigerians that would do anything just to sell
there motivations ,not Rowland but desperation
in attempt to make light the proposed darkness of their future destinations
and provide better chances for their future generations
but its far from easy,when juggling a minimal gain occupation,
so there's no time for patience,these people need money and need it fast
you could call it the diamond trade cause Nigerians hustle hard
hold up .. . . . . ponder for a moment,
You might just feel bad for ever feeling bad
because the worst of your problems would probably be the best they've ever had
True Naija hustlers, yeah that's what I'll call them,
This poems a celebration of those who aren't heard of ,
and if heard of , are thought of,as unimportant.
By Shaquille Ofili-Dowdy
Sometimes we say what we shouldn't
Or don't , what we should
We try to stop what we can't
Yet don't what we could've
Sometimes we're just confused
So much so that we think we're not
We manage to find bad in good
And in finding it ,become lost
Sometimes we regret
Regret doing what's been done
That's how the past can kill your present
And your future all in one
Sometimes we fail to listen
Only hear what we want
The same way we fail to see,
Instead, imagine what's not
Sometimes we make excuses
Look for right in our wrongs
But a spade remains a spade
And what's short just isn't long
Sometimes we don't admit
In fact Very few of us do
Because being wrong's easy
And it's hard to hear the truth
And sometimes were sorry
But never express this
When our hearts invite pride
But leave sense off the guest list
And sometimes we have feelings
Yet we never let them out
Were not sure if were sure
Or if they're ...mutually felt
Not sure if were sure
Or......if they're ..mutually felt
So sometimes were sceptical
We don't know what to think
And end up getting hurt
When we don't know when to flinch
And sometimes we don't know things
Yet still pretend that we do
Then lash out when were questioned
Or, merely asked for proof
Sometimes I'm just human
Excuse after excuse
I despise, but accept this
So this poem is ......for you
Best read to the Skepta-big instrumental
Written a while back so I'm still not quite what my trail of thought was.
what exactly is life ,
a picture already painted,
or a blank canvas awaiting our actions complete it
do we choose our lefts,rights. . .rights, wrongs,
or were they already chosen for us
long before our parent's grandparents ever thought of having our parent's parents
are we all controlled by he that dwells above us,
are we all just on straight,direct roads leading to our so called final moments
hills,turns,traffic lights absent
maybe we're really the supreme controllers of our fates
or obliviously,only, decide the routes we take to get to them
am i really writing this poem out of sheer coincidence aided by free will
or merely fulfilling prophesies long established
maybe were all just robots,
drunk with science
attempting to create our own robots
who through development may one day become intelligent enough to create their own robots
and those robots create others
and those , others, and this go on and on and on until one day
a lone clock skips a second. . . . or the right jigsaw piece is forced yet doesn't fit,
or our feet start doing what our hands should be doing and our hands . . . our feet
Were all slaves to set rules , as are our THOUGHTS
We just THINK, we're free
I like you,but I'm gonna LIE about it
Cause I can't predict your response to the TRUTH
Cause I haven't been hurt, not by you
And I'd like to keep it that way
It's easy that way
And if I could do forever I'd like to keep you guessing
Without you questioning what lies beneath this cool
Aka what I really feel for you
that's my head talking
Things smashed to PIECES when I let what lies beneath my CHESS
Determine my MOVES
I won't pretend that I don't need it
But neither will I try cause I can't be sure if It needs me
So I'm in this water and I'm knee deep
And won't go any further until your words ease me
Into a,more reassured state
And your lips won't budge
Is that pride or fear
I don't know but ,it's the same substance that seals my lips now
But didn't then...and now look at the position I'm in
So I think I need to think
If this works out then what next
If this were to ESCALATE then define the next STEP
We can secure TODAY but what happens TOMORROW
Cause it cant sort its self out
Without..interference
And its screaming for help now
And on this we might just miss out
If it doesn't scream louder than our
Mutual doubts , cause we mutually feel Ishhh no doubt but,
Wont convert these feelings to words
Unless we're sure that they're mutually felt
Hold on what if I'm WRONG
And my fears were RIGHT
And I've mistaken your being polite for..
Something else
Is this a two way thing or solely in my mind
Am I thinking out of line
I don't want to MISS out on an opportunity
Nor risk being MISled
So I'd rather let the contents of my HEAD order my LEGS
Should I sit here and regret not attempting to fly or
Or be a "societal man" and Leave the security of my nest
I mean let's face it
In many ways you're more than worth the risk
But I'd rather watch some other bastard jump off the cliff
Judging my decision on his outcome
But then what if you catch him
Solely because my confidence didn't match his
My pride would help my eyes store their water like a cactus
But still I probably wouldn't be too happy
I'd lie and probably convince those on the outside
But inside I'd feel like the explicit term
for the cargo of a soiled nappy
That's the honest truth
And they say IGNORANCE is bliss
But right now I'd rather KNOW what to do
If not I'll do nothing ,hold my peace and let this fade
Protect my pride and dignity
And let them live another day,
CRIPPLING myself as I watch you WALK away
Wish I could turn back the hands of time
but fatally stubborn they are
in the mist of darkness you were light
jealous were the stars
my heart sped up when yours stopped,
in a mad struggle to outrun reality
in the end happy made way for sad
..comedy ,for tragedy
Your relief was the start of my pain
Your morning,the end of my day
how selfish the human heart
God has only reclaimed the angel he made
you brought happiness to the hearts of many
hatred,to the hearts of none
make use of what you HAVE while you HAVE it
I never knew what I HAD until it was gone
perpetually you'l be in my heart
in my heart, perpetually you'l be
until it irrevocably ceases to pump
and again, grandma ,we meet
