When I asked of my friend, Edward,
I learnt he had gone bedward,
For worrying so much about his truck, 'Bedford',
Which could no longer move forward.
...
Whenever I meet you,
Wherever you meet me,
Don't ask after my tribe,
Don't ask after my state,
...
Flickering flickering firefly,
Like an aeroplane landing
In the charcoal night,
Like a motor-car turning
...
If you are busy being kind,
You won't have time to find
That the man next to you
Has been unfair to you.
...
Qualification: Ph.D. English (African Literature) - University of Port-harcourt, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. Working Experience: Lecturer 1, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Nigeria,1982 - 1992. Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Nigeria Customs Service,1992 - 2017. Awards: Several local and international awards for integrity, distinction, outstanding leadership and humanitarian service. Published Works: Books: 1. The Fundamentals of E-Book Publishing. Available on Amazon. 2. Poetry and the Aesthetics of Commitment in South African Poetry, Volume 1. It is currently in press with Austin Macauley Publishers, London. Articles: 'Pictures of Social Discrimination: The Poetry of Oswald Mtshali.' The Literary Half-Yearly. Vol. XXXII, No.2, July 1991 Poetry: Poems in journals such as Rake - A Literary Forum, American Poetry Anthology etc.)
Edward Gone Bedward
When I asked of my friend, Edward,
I learnt he had gone bedward,
For worrying so much about his truck, 'Bedford',
Which could no longer move forward.
Then I hurried to the males' ward
Where on a white bed I met my dear Edward,
I stretched my healing hands forward
To raise his head turned backward.
I told him to pray and not to worry
For worrying people are not very godly
As they deny God's power to carry
Whatever the cause of their worry.
Perhaps, my words lighted his heart
Like a flood light on a stage in the dark
For a smile lighted his face from his heart
And he said, 'I'm well and can walk home even in the dark.