Mama, Please Pray Poem by David Olughu

His first semester in the tertiary institution just ended,
Emeka has now returned home.
Just 2 days since his return, and Emeka has not being himself;
He's alive but seems dead.
His countenance always cold like a desolate tomb.

One evening,
the sun bading the day it's final goodbye.
The cool of the night begins to erupts
as pulsing breeze whistle by one after the other.
And there comes Emeka,
with arms folded tightly as though trying to reach for his spine.
Each quivering step he takes towards me is followed by a thought to abort his mission.
Finally, we are face to face, after the grueling journey,
like a tree finally reaching the sun after years of growing.
With a trembling voice and tears simultaneously gushing out of his eyes, he began to mutter:

Mama, please pray for me
The boy you trained is not who I've turned out to be
The person you know is the person I made you see
You don't know who I am truly
My life has been wayward and carefree
Shocking right? You may not agree

You taught me to pray
You showed me the way
You guided me from day to day
You dressed me in beautiful array
You molded me like clay
You gathered me like hay
You warned me never to sway
Yet, what can I say about myself today
I have become life's prey
Mama please pray

I followed friends
They led me to dead ends
I followed trends
They made my life full of bends

I tried different things
I flew on different wings
I despised and mocked weaklings
I was an ambassador of mood swings
I could find my way with girls on G-strings
Just by promising them imaginary rings
My words, though from a blunt mouth yet stings
I could spur their feelings
And in no time I got them to do my biddings
In immorality, I was the king of Kings
Mama please pray

In my quest for power
To avoid being called a coward
I derailed more and more every Hour
Though I was regular in the hospital ward
I always washed off the regrets in the shower
And again, I'll draw another game plan on the board
I was determined to be the highest, like a tower
So I took the bold step forward
And paid the nonrefundable soul dower

I couldn't do without puffing smoke
To the extent that it came out of my mouth everytime I spoke
I stopped drinking bottles of coke
and started inhaling powdered coke
It was so intense I had to steal whenever I was broke
I was warned of the future possibilities of stroke
To me, it was all a joke
Until I couldn't stop because it had become a yoke
Mama please pray for me

You warned me against girls on short skirt
You said, "look smart, put on a Tie and a shirt"
Little did you know I had become a flirt
I dragged our name to the dirt

As a cultist
My life began a new twist
At first it was full of mist
Then I began to develop an iron fist
With my lucky charm always on my wrist
Blood of innocent ones upon my head are in an endless list
In the killing of my fellow humans, I gave the greatest assist
In me arose a great beast
My fame swelled like yeast
From the South, my stories were told in the East
In everybody's mouth, I was the latest gist
To the devil, I had become his priest
Mama please pray for me

You noticed changes and began to scout
In your bid to correct, you began to shout
In ignorance I scolded back and walked out
With no destination I only trekked about
Anger and hatred began to sprout
Vile statements proceeded from my mouth
Your proposed love, I began to doubt
Mama please pray

Yes, I went to church
Yet I didn't do much
I felt I wasn't meant for such
I disliked the sensation of it's touch
I preferred the darkness, so I threw away the torch
I only sat back and folded my arms to watch

You gave me Jesus
In your words, you said, "make Him yours"
You told me to take Him as my boss
I should carry Him wherever I go like a purse
I thought I was going to be at loss
I thought it was a curse
So once again, like the Roman soldiers, I nailed Him on the cross
Unknown to me the consequences are gross
Mama, please pray

All I wanted was a little fun
not knowing my life would end up being a pun
People could say I was a son
Born of the sun
I lived the life of a con
And put all my hope in a gun
And when it failed me, I depended on how fast I could run
I then thought I had won
Not knowing that nemesis, was already born
Now my sins weigh a tonne
And they can't even be atoned for by the prayers of a nun

I know you tried to groom me to the best of your ability
Kudos to your endurance and relentless agility
But as you can see, I have become a liability
A menace to society
A youth void of creativity
Everything about me emits negativity
My footsteps spell calamity
I have defiled spirituality
Insulted morality
And disgraced humanity
Mama, please pray

I sought for a way back
A way out of my life of lack
An escape route from this room that is pitch black
I got tired of living in the dark
I no longer wanted to be a member of the pack
My life had been handled for too long by a quack
I couldn't fit in anymore because I began to slack
I no longer had the required spark
I became a salmon instead of a shark

I became restless, the things I normally do couldn't make me calm
I began hearing sounds like the voice of a lamb
I told myself it was all a scam
But the intensity grew like the heat of a balm
Up till now I still feel it in my palm
I no longer know who I am
Mama please pray for me

There are a lot like me that have misplaced their moral keys
Many others that have been blown away by the world's breeze
Lies have lubricated our hearts like grease
Our crimes are as endless as the water of the seas
We're scattered all over the earth like trees
So when next you go down on your knees
To cry out to the Lord that sees
Remember your sons and daughters that are in pieces
Ask that our tribulations shall seize
That our troubles will decrease
And that Christ may hear all our pleas
And take us back into His divine peace
In all Mama, please pray for me.

#TheMouthpiece