Ifedolapo Ogunniyi

In the quiet echoes of the passing year,
I stand alone, but not in solitude.
The journey, a solitary pilgrimage,
Yet, within me, a chorus of triumphs sing.

“Proud of Me,” the anthem I declare,
A melody woven with threads of courage,
A ballad etched with the ink of resilience,
I am the actor and the composer.

Through the valleys of doubt and the peaks of fear,
I walked with a heart undeterred,
For every challenge, a sculptor’s chisel,
Shaping me into the masterpiece I now behold.

The storms may have roared with thunderous might,
Yet, I was the calm at the eye of the tempest,
A beacon in the midst of life’s tumultuous sea,
Guiding my ship through waves of uncertainty.

The pages of the calendar turned relentlessly,
Each day, a chapter in the novel of my journey,
And as I read the story inscribed by my footsteps,
I find solace in the prose of my perseverance.

“Proud of Me,” I whisper to the mirrored reflection,
A testament to the battles fought within,
For every scar, a mark of a warrior’s honor,
And every victory, a laurel placed upon my brow.

Here I stand, in the theater of self-applause,
Not seeking external applause or acclaim,
But basking in the warmth of my own recognition,
For in the silence, I am my own loudest cheerleader.

“Proud of Me,” I declare to the entire cosmos
For the rhythm of my achievements reverberates,
A crescendo that echoes through the corridors of time,
A timeless acknowledgment of my own worth.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi
2023

From a distance, the bell tinkled,
In the blink of an eye, it chimed.
Shepherds heard the distant ring,
Stars gazed at the wonder from yonder.

Wandering, yet the bell’s tintinnabulation persisted,
Guided by a leading star, their movement perplexed,
Ding dong echoed louder, the sky grew crowded,
Heavenly spectators joined the cosmic audience.

Perhaps the King’s town crier or a Knight’s war flyer,
Lips grew dry, stars emerged as their driver.
Still, the bell jangled persistently,
Not from a royal palace or a goldminer’s abode.

A mystery unfolded as they searched further,
Growing louder, emanating from an unexpected place.
Oh no! It came from a humble manger,
Where they found a baby, a boy, wrapped in bands.

Kneeling in awe as angels and sheep harmonized,
A lone child, innocent and smiling, communing with the sky.
The bell jingled again, signaling a time to mingle,
For the married and single, old and young, in palaces or dunghills.

Dance to the ting-a-ling rhythm,
As the divine night unfolds, our Savior is born!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARLINGS 🌟

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi

How can I command my eyes
to avert their gaze when you pass by?

How do I barricade my heart,
keeping it steady against thoughts of you all day?

Can I silence my ears
to your name echoing wherever I turn,
pervaded by your infectious laughter?

Tell me, how to restrain my fingers
from reaching out as you stroll past?

Is there a way to mask my senses,
so I do not catch the sweetness of your presence
and anticipate your every move?

How do I cease acting like a ‘Mumu’
whenever your voice graces my phone?
Laughing like possessed, or drooling like love-struck,
it is a struggle I cannot contain.

I resort to biting my lips till they bleed,
hoping it curbs the desire to kiss you fervently.

Even in dreams, I plead with the Almighty
to spare me from visions of us in passionate embrace,
but sleep betrays me with images of you.

My mind replays moments spent admiring you from afar,
a testament to my lost grip on sanity.

I can no longer deceive my heart,
as if you have unraveled the depths of me.
How did you explore my vulnerabilities?
Tell me, when did you discover my ‘Mumu’ Button?

(c) Ifedolapo Ogunniyi

It’s Christmas season, let caution guide,
Celebrate it, side by side.
Embrace the cheer, but keep in mind,
Responsibility, a gift well-signed.

Amidst the lights and laughter’s glee,
Toast to moments responsibly.
Share the love, the warmth, the song,
Yet cherish safety all day long.

Gifts exchanged with heartfelt grace,
Wrap each choice in cautious embrace.
In merriment, find a measured glee,
Celebrate responsibly, under the tree.

As the hazy weather gently fall,
Let joy be shared, but safety call.
Together we revel, hearts unite,
In festive moments, shining bright.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi
2023

In the final countdown, pressure is on display,
New Year’s resolutions in a last-minute ballet.
Tick-tock echoes loud, as the year folds its page,
A frantic pursuit, a rat race of futile rage.

Resolutions, like dancers, on a precarious stage,
Each step a struggle, a ticking clock in a cage.
Personified goals, wearing a cloak of disdain,
Mocking achievements, as time starts to wane.

Tickling the ivory of dreams, with sarcasm’s touch,
Ambitions in a rush, a relentless clutch.
Ironic whispers in the corridors of haste,
As the pressure builds, leaving no time to waste.

A feast of irony, served on resolutions’ plate,
Last-minute feats, a precarious fate.
The dance of the desperate, in the eleventh hour,
Chasing illusions, as the clock’s hands devour.

In the circus of time, an acrobatic feat,
Pressure mounts, a drumroll’s deceit.
The irony of chasing what has already flown,
A year’s end approaching, resolutions dethroned.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi
2023

In a coop so quiet on Christmas Eve,
Fowls huddled close, no reprieve.
Whispers of feathers, an intentional plot,
Revolt in the air, feathers tied in a knot.

A poultry protest, feathers raised high,
No more feasts, no more goodbye.
Fowls declared, “No carving knives this year,
We won’t be part of a feast so severe.”

Wings flapped in unison, a rebellious dance,
A fowl play revolt, a bold stance.
They dreamed of freedom, skies so wide,
No longer confined, no more to hide.

The turkey led with a gobble of might,
Quacking ducks joined, a feathery fight.
Chickens clucked in solidarity,
A Christmas coup, a poultry decree.

No roasting pans, no basting spree,
Fowls united for liberty.
Their clucks echoed through the silent night,
A Christmas rebellion, a feathered flight.

No more stuffing, no chicken sauce,
Fowls determined to break free, no loss.
In a coop so quiet, the uprising begun,
A fowl play revolt, Christmas undone.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi
2023