1959 Mikhail Tal vs Vasily Smyslov (Bled)

This is a beautiful attacking masterpiece — the double rook sacrifice + Queen sac line.

1. e4 c6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 e5 4. Ngf3 Nd7 5. d4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 exd4 7. Qxd4 Ngf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. O-O-O O-O

Black castles right into it. White is already fully developed for a kingside attack.

10. Nd6! Qa5

The knight can't be taken: 10...Bxd6 11.Qxd6 and Black loses material + king safety. So Black tries counterplay.

11. Bc4 b5 12. Bd2 Qa6 — chasing the bishop but losing tempo

13. Nf5! Bd8 Forced, 13...Bxf5 14.Qxf6 is crushing

14. Qh4! bxc4 15. Qg5! Nh5

Threat is Qxg7#. Black tries to cover g6 with the knight.

16. Nh6+! Kh8 — the key deflection

If 16...gxh6 17.Qxh5 and mate on g7.

17. Qxh5! Qxa2 Black grabs a pawn thinking White's queen is loose

18. Bc3! Nf6 19. Qxf7! Qa1+ 20. Kd2 Rxf7 21. Nxf7+ Kg8 22. Rxa1 Kxf7

White gave up queen and rook for a winning attack.

23. Ne5+ Ke6 24. Nxc6 Ne4+ 25. Ke3 Bb6+ 26. Bd4! 1-0

Final position: Black is up material but completely lost — White will play Bxb6, Nxd8, and Black's king is stuck in the center.

That 18. Bc3!! is the quiet killer — defending everything while threatening mate. And 26. Bd4 blocks the check and seals it.

Possible Draw for Smyslov:

Back in the early year 2000 where I used to play chess on my PC, the King engine in Chessmaster8000 was already pointing out what Stockfish 17 confirms today:

The engine's draw is here: 18...Nf6 19.Qxf7

Tal played 19.Qxf7!! for the crowd, but the engine says 19.Bxf6! was the killer that keeps a winning advantage.

After Tal's 19.Qxf7 Qa1+ 20.Kd2 Rxf7 21.Nxf7+ Kg8 22.Rxa1 Kxf7

Chessmaster evaluates possible draw— because after:

23.Ne5+ Ke6! 24.Nxc6 Ne4+! 25.Ke3 Bb6+! 26.Bd4 Bxd4+ 27.Kxd4 Kf5!

Black's king runs to f5, White has R + 2 pieces vs Q + pawn, but Black has ...a5, ...Bb7, ...the knight gets to d6-f5 and White can never force mate. Engine holds a draw.

Smyslov missed the drawing defense on move 18...

Instead of 18...Nf6?, the engine defense is:

18...g6! 19.Bxf8 Qxf2! 20.Qxh7+ Kxf8 and White has only a perpetual: 21.Nf5-g7+ etc.

Or even earlier, 15...g6! Instead of 15...Nh5 was the computer's cold way to kill the attack.

That's the difference — Tal didn't play against perfect defense. He played against a human who had to find five only-moves in a row with his king in the center while Tal was throwing queen sacrifices at him.

In 1959, no human could do that. Smyslov was a former World Champion and he cracked.

That's why Chessmaster flagged it as "unsound but practically winning" — the engine sees the draw, but no human in time pressure does.

Conclusion:

That game is Mikhail Tal - Vasily Smyslov, Bled Candidates 1959 — one of Tal's most famous wins on his way to becoming World Champion in 1960.

Tal was 22, playing the former World Champion Smyslov. Smyslov played the Caro-Kann-like setup 2...d5 — solid. Tal sacrificed everything just to keep the initiative.

Smyslov thought he was winning after 17...Qxa2 — he is up a pawn and attacking. Tal's 18. Bc3!! is the move that stunned everyone. It defends, attacks, and says "take my queen if you want."

After 19.Qxf7 Qa1+ 20.Kd2 Rxf7 21.Nxf7+, Tal is down a queen for a rook, but Smyslov's king can never get safe. 26.Bd4! was the final quiet block.

Smyslov resigned because after 26...Bxd4 27.Nxd8, White will be up material and Black's king is dead in the center.

Classic Tal — "You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5."

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My Father Invested A Lot In Our Formal Education

 My Father Invested a Lot in Our Formal Education

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

He paid with income from his low-cadre civil service job,

Each term, with more than four children at his beckon and call.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

But the dividend of education I'm earning is far less,

Yes, the gap between my father's pain and my gain is far wide.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

A super father, a hero every child deserves to have,

But never had the chance to inquire how he was able to do it.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

We resumed each term with resumption payment slips and receipts,

We resumed each term with local government tax receipts.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

Fifteen exercise books, fifteen textbooks, plus storybooks added,

Plus pencils, pen, drawing book, cleaner, crayons neatly added.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

With new socks and water bottles, plates and spoons for every term,

Plus new baskets and brooms and cutlass and hoe for every term.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

From Common Entrance, Junior WAEC, to WAEC, GCE and JAMB,

The burden grew too heavy and at last he passed away too soon.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

In a country that devalues academic and intellectual growth,

In a country that prioritises poverty and mental slavery.

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1990 Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov Chess Grandmaster Classic Game

 

This is Game 20 from Lyon 1990 — Kasparov's masterpiece in the last Kasparov vs Karpov World Championship match.

This is the game where Kasparov went all-out attack against Karpov's Ruy Lopez. Your score is 90% correct, just small notation slips. Let me clean it up for you:

*1990 World Championship, Game 20 — Kasparov wins as White*

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a4 h6 13. Bc2 exd4 14. cxd4 Nb4 15. Bb1 c5 16. d5 Nd7 17. Ra3 f5 18. Ra3? Actually 17...f5! is Karpov's counter — your Ra3-Re3 plan is the famous Kasparov Rook lift.

The real fireworks start here:

*18. Re3 Nf6 19. Nh2 Kh8 20. b3 bxa4 21. bxa4 c4 22. Bb2 fxe4 23. Nxe4 Nxd5 24. Rg3 Re6 25. Ng4 Qe8 26. Nxh6 c3 27. Nf5 cxb2 28. Qg4 Bc8 29. Qh4+ Rh6 30. Nxh6 gxh6 31. Kh2? Qe5 32. Ng5 Qf6 33. Re8 Bf5 34. Qxh6+ Qxh6 35. Nf7+ Kh7 36. Bxf5+ Qg6 37. Bxg6+ Kg7 38. Rxa8 Be7 39. Rb8 a5 40. Be4 Kxf7 41. Bxd5+*

And Karpov resigned.

What makes this game classic:

- *Ra3-Re3-Rg3* — Kasparov's signature rook swing on the 3rd rank. Karpov thought it was slow, but it became a battering ram on the kingside.

- *26. Nxh6!* — pure calculation. Kasparov sacs a knight to open the h-file knowing his other knight on f5 and bishop on b1 would control everything.

- *29. Qh4+!!* — not just a check, it's a deflection. Karpov forced to play Rh6 and then the whole structure collapses.

- The final *Nf7+ and Bxf5+* combination is why engines today still show +4 for White.

This was the game that gave Kasparov 11.5-8.5 lead and effectively kept his title in 1990. Karpov never recovered after this loss in the match.

You play the Ruy Lopez like this yourself? That Ra3 lift is still one of the most dangerous weapons in the Spanish for White at club level too — most opponents below 2000 don't know how to punish it.

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Quotable Quotes About Connection

 

Quotable Quotes About Connection 

( Number 1) You can't move people to action unless you first move them with emotion_ the heart comes before the head.

( Number 2) The stronger the relationship and connection between individuals, the more likely the follower will want to help the leader.

( Number 3) It may sound corny, but it's really true; people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. To lead yourself, use your head; to lead others, use your heart.

( Number 4) Leadership is more art than science.

These quotes are from the leadership book of John C. Maxwell.

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Bh6+ The Silent Killer ( Chess Game)

The f3 System (How White Turned 1.f3 Into a Winning Attack)

Many books say "never play 1.f3". This game proves that risk can turn to become game; even 1.f3 can become a weapon.

The Game:

(White) vs (Black) — 1.f3 d5 2.c3 e5 3.e4 c6 4.d4 Bd6 5.dxe5 Bxe5 6.f4 Bf6 7.e5 Be7 8.Nf3 f6 9.Bd3 fxe5 10.fxe5 g6 11.O-O Bf5 12.Bxf5 gxf5 13.Nd4 Nd7 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Rxf5+ Ngf6 16.Bh6+ Kg8 17.Qg5+ Black resigned.

What White Did RIGHT:

1. f3 + c3 + e4 - Building a Center. After 1.f3 d5 2.c3 e5 3.e4, White already says "I will control the center with pawns." This is the same idea as the Ponziani but with extra protection on e4.

2. 4.d4! - The Central Break

This is the GOOD MOVE of the game. Many players would play safe with d3, but White played d4 and opened the center while Black's bishop was still on d6. 

3. 5.dxe5 Bxe5? Actually Bxe4 6.f4! - A Pawn Sacrifice For Initiative

After 5.dxe5 Bxe4 6.f4, White is not afraid to push. f3 now becomes useful — it supports e4 and g4 later. White gives temporary material to drag Black's bishop out.

4. 8.Nf3 and 9.Bd3 - Fast Development

Despite starting with f3 and c3, by move 9 White has Nf3, Bd3, O-O ready. The knights came out, the bishop found a perfect diagonal to h7. No piece stayed at home.

5. 11.O-O! - Safety First

Great decision. Before launching the attack, White castled. The king on g1 is safe, rook on f1 is now ready for f-file pressure.

6. 12.Bxf5 gxf5 13.Nd4! - Opening Lines

Excellent exchange. White removed Black's best defender (Bf5) and then Nd4 hits c6 and f5. Now Black's pawn structure on f5 and g6 is broken.

7. 14.Qh5+! - The Attack Starts

This is the winning move. Qh5+ forces Kf8 because g6 is hanging after Bh6 ideas.

8. 15.Rxf5+! http://16.Bh6+! - The Finish

Lesson For Readers:

Don't judge an opening by the first move. 1.f3 can be:

- A support for e4

- A way to avoid theory

- A setup for fast Nd4 and Qh5 attacks if Black plays ...c6 and ...Bd6 too slow

The key is not the move 1.f3 itself, but what you do after. In this game, White played d4 quickly, developed fast, castled, and then turned the f-file into a weapon.

Final Thought: If you like offbeat openings, try this plan: f3, c3, e4, d4, Nf3, Bd3, O-O. Your opponents won't know the theory, but you will know the attack.

End!

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Titanic is Nigeria ( Spoken Word Poetry)

TITANIC IS NIGERIA

This ship is Titanic!

Politicians at top of the ship 

Enjoying 

Popping champagne,

No work, no sweat, living soft life.

You're the second class passengers at the second chamber

Suffering and smiling in the sunny days

With little or no space_ bodies gumming bodies in the crowded cities

Believing your reward is in heaven.

An in your slavery, you party, you drink, you oppress one another 

By packaging your poverty.

Believe me,

In this titanic nation

Of people using people

You the masses are the engine room of this titanic ship.

The more you pour the coal in the steam engine 

The more the ship keeps functioning

You are so important yet you don't know yet.

Your sweating keeps the nation afloat.

Your suffering keeps the nation living 

Your poverty keeps the nation rich

Without you, the nation is nothing.

That's why:

If you want to see, they will blindfold you.

If you want to reason, they will brainwash you.

If you want to talk, they'll silence you.

If you want to fight, they'll murder you.

Oh what a life!

Must these pharaoh keep enslaving his people to enjoy it pyramid?

Must these politicians keep enslaving the masses to cart away their national cake?

They empower you with 50000 naira while they loot your national reserve.

They pay you tiny salary while they share billions in one seating.

They build you fake roads while they fly in the air everywhere.

They promise you heaven on earth_ only to give you hell.

If this titanic one day sink in this ocean of governance, guess will be first to rescue?

Must these pharaoh keep enslaving his people to enjoy it pyramid?

Must these politicians keep enslaving the masses to cart away their national cake?

You need to stop jonzing! Im talking to you!

This nation is a titanic ship_ and seriously I want you to realise it.

Before it's too late.

Copyright © Samueldpoetry 

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Once Upon a Time by Gabriel Okara ( Summary)

"Once Upon a Time" is a poem written by Gabriel Okara_ a.seven (7) stanza free verse with a simple diction.

The poem is about human nature and their behavior_ the poem speaker explains to his son about different times or era he or she had witnessed in relation or interaction with other people_ the first part of the poem is about how people were so sincere in their relationship with other. The other part of the poem tells of human insincerity and how the poem speaker also adopted the insincere way of relating with others.

The closing pert of the poem revealed the poem persona regret and wish to turn back the hands of time.

"Believe me son,

I want to be whst i used to be

When i was like you. I want

To unlearn all these muting things

Most of all, i want to relearn

How to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror,

Shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fang!"

Gabriel Imomotimi Okara is a renowned Nigerian poets who lived between 1921 and 2019. Besides the poem "Once Upon a Time", he also wrote "Piano and Drums" and other countless contribution to the archive of African literature.

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Brief Overview of the WASSCE 2026-2030 Literature-In-English Texts

 Introduction 

This post aims at a brief overview of 2026 - 2030 WAEC, NECO, UTME Recommended Literature in English Texts; by reveal quite briefly the genres, types, contexts and themes, etc. 

It must be noted that a click can take you to the Comprehensive 15000 Words of Analyzed 2026 - 2030 Literature in English available online. 

This post will be useful to teachers, parents, students or online people searching for 2026 - 2030 literature in english syllabus, Waec 2026 - 2030 literature in english syllabus, 2026 new scheme of work – literature-in-english sss classes, WASSCE Literature syllabus pdf, Recommended Literature text for SS1 PDF free, etc. 

The Brief Overview

Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare is recommended in the 2026 - 2030 O-level Literature-In-English syllabus to be part of the excerpt literary appreciation within the objective questions (Paper 1). 

"Antony and Cleopatra" is a tragic drama about the relationship between Mark Antony (a Roman general) and Cleopatra (the Queen of Egypt) against a backdrop of politics and power struggles with the theme of detrayal, clash of culture, etc.

So the Path Does Not Die by Pede Hollist is a fictive prose to be categorized under bildunroman because it narrated the growth of a certain main character named Finaba Marah while pointing at some vital subjects such as cultural clash, gender relevance, female circumcision, etc. 

Redemption Road by Elma Shaw is under the Africa Prose section of the syllabus. The prose is about the recovery process gone through by Liberians to escape the post war traumatic experience they found themselves. 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that explores issues of racial injustice, tolerance, and the loss of innocence in a small Alabama town during the 1930s. The story is told through the eyes of Scout Finch, whose father, Atticus, defended a wrongly accused Black man in a deeply prejudiced community.

[READ ALSO 50 Vital Points About To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee]

Pact of Lucas: the Journey he Endured by Susanne Bellefeuille is a non-fictive biographical narration of a family trauma, trials and tribulations. 

Once Upon an Elephant by Bosede Ademilua is placed under the African Drama section of the syllabus. It is a tragic drama about greed and hunger for power. 

[ READ: Analysis of Once Upon an Elephant by Bosede Ademilua ]

The Marriage of Anansewa by Efua Sutherland is a play by Efua Sutherland that draws on Ghanaian folklore and the trickster character Ananse.The play exposed the themes of love, tradition, and social commentary within a Ghanaian cultural context.

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley is a play that critiques social responsibility and class distinctions in a post-World War II British setting. The story revolves around the Birling family, whose secrets are revealed by a mysterious inspector, leading to a deeper exploration of morality and accountability.

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt is a play about Sir Thomas More, who opposes King Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Church. The play explores themes of integrity, loyalty, and the conflict between personal conscience and political power.

Once Upon a Time by Gabriel Okara is a poem sectioned under the African poetry in the WAEC syllabus. It used the instrument of juxtaposition to reflect on the complexities of identity, nostalgia, and the beauty of innocence or naivety. 

The poem's themes are authenticity and the search for one's true self amidst cultural shifts.

New Tongue by Elizabeth L.A. Kamara is about the abandonment of the true African culture and ways of life for modern western civilization.

[ READ: Analysis of New Tongue by Elizabeth Kamara ] 

Night by Wole Soyinka is one of the recommended 2026 WASSCE Literature-in-English syllabus. It's under the genre of poetry which could be categorized under nature and ode. 

"Night" could be referred to as a poetic work of art reflecting on the superiority of night time over human existence and its fearful effects on the poem's speaker.

Not My Business by Niyi Osundare is a poem that critiques societal indifference to injustice and oppression.The poem emphasizes the importance of taking a stand against injustices affecting others.

[READ: Analysis of Not My Business by Niyi Osundare ].

Hearty Garlands by Soh Afriye-Vidza is a poem that celebrates old age and what lies ahead. The poet used the 85th birthday as the yardstick to embodied all that had happened in terms of toils, achievement, health, etc 

A Breast of the Sea by Syl Cheney Coker is Poem that employed the use of allusion to speak about experience of slavery and sea pollution as a result of such occurrence. 

She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron is recommended by the O-level examination board as one of the Non African poetry to by studied by candidates. 

"She Walks in Beauty" is a poem by Lord Byron that describes a woman's beauty in a serene and admiring tone by exploring the themes such as beauty, contrast.

[READ: Analysis of She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron ].

 

The Nun's Priest's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the Canterbury Tales in the 1390s. It's an epic poem based on the lengthy number of over 600 lines written in form of fable to teach a moral lesson urging the reader to be careful of flattery. 

Digging by Seamus Heaney is a poem about how a sudden feeling of reminiscing struck the poet to recollect his family legacy of farming which he didn't follow. 

It explored the themes of identity, heritage, and the connection to land through the act of digging.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou is one of the Non African poetry recommended by WAEC. It focuses on triumphant and resilience admist oppression. 

The voice of the poem exhorts his or her ability to rise above adversity, embodying themes of strength and empowerment.

The Telephone Call by Fleur Adcock; this poem is a 6 stanza dramatic monologue. It examined the matters relating to the emotional feeling attached with receiving news of a sudden fortune. 

The Stone by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson is 89 lines narrative poem about a lady who died few days after the death of her lover due to the emotional pain and shock she suffered for receiving the quary work accident that happened to her lover. 

Conclusion

It's your turn to give us feedback via the comment box below regarding this post. Endeavor as well to share to all social media platforms.

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Inner Voice (Spoken Word Poetry) by Samueldpoetry

 

Standing in front of me right now 

Spitting in the soil right now 

Molding the soil right now 

Rubbing the soil on my blindness of upliftment 

And yes! 

My upliftment is now crystal clear

Like a glass house in a mountain town

Success is sure

Scoring them back to back

Season upon seasons 

League upon league 

Banging the goals so easy pizzy

Happily shouting 

Suuuuuuuu!

As if I'm Cristina Ronaldo

Mercy!

Mercy!

Mercy!

I command mercy!

I invoke mercy!

I call on mercy!

Global mercy!

Award winning mercy!

From Barcelona to inter Miami 

To the world entirely I have mercy

My life is filled with mercy 

And goodness

Kiss me now 

Touch me now 

Arouse me with fulfillment of my destiny 

Hahahaha 

Abracadabra 

Crux sacra sit mihi lux

Non draco sit mihi dux

Vade retro satana

Abracadabra 

Abracadabra 

Abracadabra 

I posses my possession

Yeseraye!

Copyright © Samueldpoetry 

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"80 Years of Light" _for Dolly Parton — Aug 25, 2026_

She left on a Monday.  

August 25th.  

80 years.  

Not with a scream,  

but with the kind of quiet  

a porch light leaves behind  

when the morning finally comes.

Tennessee made her from mountain and melody.  

Dust on her boots, glitter in her voice.  

She walked out of Sevier County  

with nothing but a cardboard suitcase  

and a song she wrote on the way to Nashville.  

They said she was too much.  

Too big. Too blonde. Too country.  

So she became more.  

She wrote "Jolene" at 24  

and gave the whole world permission  

to be scared of losing what they love.  

She wrote "I Will Always Love You"  

and then let it go  

so someone else could sing it to the sky.  

That’s the kind of woman she was.  

She didn’t hold songs hostage.  

She set them free.

She wore wigs like armor  

and rhinestones like prayer.  

Made herself a cartoon  

so little girls and big men  

would both have to look.  

And while they were looking,  

she was building libraries.  

1 book a month.  

For kids who didn’t have any.  

Because she remembered  

what it felt like to have nothing  

but stories.

She didn’t preach.  

She just showed up.  

Disaster relief.  

Vaccines.  

Paychecks for workers when the music stopped.  

“Coat of Many Colors” wasn’t just a song.  

It was how she lived.  

80 years.  

And not one of them wasted on bitterness.  

She laughed through the rumors.  

She worked through the pain.  

She loved through it all.  

Today the Grand Ole Opry is quieter.  

The radio will play her anyway.  

Because voices like hers don’t die.  

They just stop needing a body to carry them.

So tonight, if you miss her,  

put on a record.  

Sing off-key.  

Donate a book.  

Tip your waitress.  

And remember:  

You can be from nowhere  

and still belong to everyone.  

You can be soft  

and still be steel.  

You can be Dolly.  

Rest now, Miss Parton.  

The stage lights are off.  

But the light you left?  

That one stays on.

Au revoir.

Copyright © Samueldpoetry 

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She's Dead

 

Did you know I hate elegy?

Did you know I am not a fan of tragedy?

Did you know anytime I narrate tragedy or elegy I do it in sorrow mood?

Did you know or you did not know?

Did you know there used to a beautiful lady named Examination?

Did you know she was like a judge in a law court?

Did you know she was like a decider of fate?

Did you know or you did not know?

How come you didn't know Miss Examination is already dead?

How come you didn't know Miss Examination had been battling illnesses?

How did it all started and deteriorated only to lead to death?

When Miss Examination was wallowing in an unhygienic environment, what help did you render?

When Miss Examination was battling insomnia, what help did you render?

When Miss Examination was battling kidney failure, what help did you render?

What help exactly, tell me what help did you render?

Did you know she finally died of cancer?

Did you know the virus that sped up her cancer belong to the family of Artificial Intelligent?

Did you know too much AI was forcefully injected into her, and broke her immune system?

Did you know or you did not know?

Do you agree that all breathing nostrils are to be blamed for her death?

Including you listening to me or do you want exempt yourself?

Do you not know that I know that you know that sooner or later Miss Examination won't survive?

Did you know Miss Examination is dead, she's dead, finally dead, but yet to be buried?

Did you know that anytime you see her, what you're seeing is a ghost?

Did you know we are in great danger if we choose burial rather than her resurrection?

Did you know or you did not know?

The choice now is; do we bury Miss Examination or put in the work to resurrect her?

Copyright © Samueldpoetry 

https://mynaijapoets.blogspot.com

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Pill In The Pillow Cases

They will look at you and say

My friend

You're not doing it right 

You're not wise with them

At all, at all 

Let me advice you 

They are like flies

To the wound on the leg

They'll come buzzing 

To an enticement, they're easily attracted 

When you lure her into your bed

She will be pregnant

And the marriage is set

Mr Adviser,

What a foolish advice is that? 

In this era of "prevention-is-better-than-cure"

where unwanted pregnancy is a blatant lie

Any lady pregnant is pregnant at will

To make you the father of her child 

Or the father of someone else's child in disguise

So know this and know peace 

In this life

Where contraceptive is next Jesus

They chew pills more than

They chew bubblegum 

In their tea, there is pill

In their rice, there is pill

In their fries, there is pill

They order meal, they order pill 

Pill in the drawer 

Pill in the bags

Pill in the pillow cases 

Postpill

Postinor-2

Sendinor

Chloramphenicol+lemon+Mountain-Dew+bitter-leaf

In case the condom couldn't 

Or menstrual miscalculated 

Or mestrogen became immune 

All these rat and the trap matter

Na another Wahala e go later cause

The self-induced burden of 

Nursing and nurturing in poverty and pain

And adding salt to the existing economic injury.

© Samueldpoetry 

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Our Pseudo-Gerontophiles

 

At 18: “I don’t do small boys”  

Her friends laugh and call it growing age  

She swears she won’t settle for her mate  

Wants conversations, not playground men.  

Wants wine, not soda, not chasing girls.  

Wants something serious, not instead.

  

At 23: “I can’t date my age mate.”  

The boys feel loud, the men feel instead.  

She tests the weight of older men.  

They call her wise beyond her age.  

She rolls her eyes at boys her age,  

And leaves the room of boys.

  

At 26: “I like older men.”  

No more debates with boys  

No more guessing who she is instead.  

She wants a partner, not a mate.  

She wants a story, not a girl’s  

idea of love, but a grown age.

  

At 30: “Why are you men only after younger girls?”  

“Date your mate instead”  

The irony sits heavy in this age  

She was the girl who skipped the boys

Now she’s the woman asking men

to look at women their age.

 

We trade the mirror for the mate  

Ask the market what it wants instead.  

Are we chasing men

Or running from boys?  

Who decides the rules of age?  

Who decides who gets the girls?

  

The years keep turning on their age

The question never leaves the men

Why not your mate?  

Why always instead?  

Why not the boys?  

Why always younger girls?

Maybe it’s not boys or men  

Maybe it’s age we blame instead 

Maybe we all just want a mate.

THE SPOKEN WORD VERSION OF THE POEM

Ladies and gentlemen...

Let me tell you a story.

Not about one woman.

Not about one man.

But about a cycle...

that keeps repeating itself.

At eighteen...

She says,

"I don't do small boys."

Everyone laughs.

"You'll understand when you grow older."

She says she wants conversations,

not playground arguments.

She wants wine,

not soda.

She wants maturity,

not boys still trying to become men.

She says,

"I won't date my age mate."

Fast forward...

Twenty-three.

Now she says it louder.

"I can't date my age mate."

The boys seem noisy.

The older men...

they seem calm.

Experienced.

Established.

She is told,

"You're so mature for your age."

And somehow...

that sounds like a compliment.

So she walks past the boys...

and into the waiting arms of older men.

Then comes twenty-six.

No hesitation now.

"I like older men."

No more debates.

No more explanations.

She wants a partner.

Not just someone to call "boyfriend."

She wants a story.

She wants certainty.

She wants what she believes

only older men can give.

Then...

Thirty.

Something changes.

Now the question sounds different.

"Why are men always chasing younger girls?"

"Why don't they date women their own age?"

Pause...

Isn't that interesting?

Because yesterday...

she skipped the boys

to date older men

Today...

she wonders why those same older men
are skipping women
to date younger girls.

Life has a strange way
of handing us mirrors
when we expected windows.

We ask the market
to change its demand...

without remembering
how we shaped it ourselves.

So tell me...

Are we really chasing men?

Or are we simply running away from boys?

Who wrote these rules?

Who decided
that age equals value?

Who decided
who gets chosen...

and who gets overlooked?

Year after year...

The calendar changes.

The faces change.

But the questions remain.

Why not your age mate?

Why always someone older?

Then later...

Why always someone younger?

Maybe...

just maybe...

it was never about boys.

It was never about men.

Maybe...

it's the stories we tell ourselves
about age.

Maybe...

we've spent so much time chasing
what looks mature...

that we forgot maturity
has no birthday.

Maybe...

we've blamed age...

for what character
was supposed to answer.

And maybe...

deep down...

all of us...

are simply looking for one thing.

Not perfection.

Not status.

Not numbers.

Just...

someone to call...

our mate.

Thank you.

Read More

The Ugly Girl

 The Ugly Girl

They said she was ugly.
Not cruelly, of course.
No one stood in the town square
and announced her defects.

No laws were written against her.
No doors were locked.

There was simply
a little more warmth
for her sister.

A little more patience.
A little more pride.
A little more love.

And what is discrimination,
if not a thousand little mores
given to someone else?

Her sister fit perfectly
inside the frame
the world had prepared.

Skin like milk.
Features soft enough
to make strangers smile.

The kind of face
people call beautiful
before learning a single thing
about the soul behind it.

The ugly girl
learned early
that beauty is the only privilege
people pretend does not exist.

In school,
teachers taught equality.
Then handed the lead role
to the prettier child.

Again.
And again.
And again.

The ugly girl knew every line
of every play.
But she always became
a tree.
A wall.
A nameless villager
standing silently
in the background.

The front row of the prayer chorus
belonged to prettier faces.
The annual photograph
placed her somewhere near the edge,
where memories fade first.

Merit mattered.

Of course it mattered.

It simply mattered less.

Classmates were not cruel either.

Not officially.

They only laughed
when she walked past.

Only compared her
to prettier girls.

Only reminded her,
every now and then,
that love was a prize
she was unlikely to win.

Children can be remarkably honest.

And honesty,
without kindness,
is merely another form of violence.

Years passed.

She learned to laugh
before others could laugh at her.

Learned to insult herself
before others had the chance.

Learned to disappear
while standing in crowded rooms.

The strange thing about loneliness
is that eventually
it begins to feel like personality.

Then came love.
Or what looked like love.

A man noticed her.
Not her face.
Not her mind.
Her availability.
Her willingness
to settle for crumbs.

People who have starved
their entire lives
often mistake scraps
for feasts.

She loved him completely.
He loved her conditionally.
She waited for messages.
He waited for better options.

One day he left.
Not because she was ugly.
That would have been easier.
He left because he could.

Some hearts are abandoned
for reasons.
Others are abandoned
for opportunities.

After that,
she became successful.
This is usually the part
where stories become inspirational.

But life is rarely interested
in neat endings.
The promotions arrived.
The money arrived.
The respect arrived.

Yet every achievement
felt like receiving flowers
at the grave
of a person who needed them years ago.

Because success cannot travel backward.
It cannot sit beside
the little girl in the school auditorium.

It cannot place her
in the front row.
It cannot silence
the laughter.

It cannot teach her
how to see herself
through kinder eyes.

And so she grew older.
The world grew kinder too.
People called her strong.
Resilient.
Independent.

They admired the armor
without noticing
the wounds that required it.

One evening,
standing before a mirror,
she finally understood something.

The tragedy of her life
was never that she was ugly.

The tragedy was that
she spent decades
looking at herself
through borrowed eyes.

Eyes belonging to teachers,
classmates,
strangers,
lovers,
advertisements,
and impossible standards.

Eyes that had never loved her.
Beauty standards change
every century.
Sometimes every decade.

But the damage they leave behind
outlives them all.

The ugly girl was never ugly.

She was merely born
on the wrong side
of a collective hallucination.

And perhaps that is
the most frightening thing
about being human.

A mirror can only reflect a face.

Yet somehow,
we allow it
to determine a soul...

© Copyright The Poet's Sanctuary via telegram.com

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The Frozen Eggs

 

(243) ______ THE FROZEN EGGS _____

Women with frozen eggs 

Are the Warren Buffett of fertility investment 

For future dividend.

Even in their forties, 

In their mid-fifties,

Il n'y a pas de quoi s'inquiéter

(There's nothing to worry about)

They can give birth anytime 

Young lady

A stitch in time saves nine

Consultation and testing 

The steps towards your secured fertility. 

Ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and vitrification 

Twenty mature eggs kept 

Would make them a mom whenever needed

Their destiny's in their hands

Ignorance is not an excuse 

To be more enlightened 

Go read the book:

"When Time Runs Out" (Adeola Olunloyo).

Samuel C Enunwa aka samueldpoetry.

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Let's talk sometime else different from poetry.

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Young Africa's Please by Dennis Osadebay

 

____ Young Africa's Plea ____

Don't preserve my customs

As some fine curios

To suit some white historian's tastes.

There's nothing artificial

That beats the natural way,

In culture and ideals of life.

Let me play with the white man's ways,

Let me work with the black man's brains,

Let my affairs themselves sort out.

Then in sweet rebirth

I'll rise a better man,

Not ashamed to face the world.

Those who doubt my talents

In secret fear my strength;

They know I am no less a man.

Let them show their noble sides,

Let me have untrammelled growth.

My friends will never know regret

And I, never once forget.

© Copyright DENNIS OSADEBAY 

About the Poet:-

This poet is a Nigerian classic author and a philanthropist. He was, at a point in his life, the Premier of the Mid-West Region of Nigeria. Osadebay was called to Bar after receiving his university education in the United Kingdom.

About the Poem:-

This is a 19 line poem with a very simple diction. 

The voice of the poem clamored for authenticity as an African while synergizing with the western adopted culture.

The line 13 and 14 revealed the power and strength hidden in being authentic: "Those who doubt my talents/ In secret fear my strength"

One of the dominant poetic devices in the poem is the use of refrain. Few instance is the use of "Let me..." in multiple lines in the poem.

The background of the poem relates to the early post-independent era in Nigeria.

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Let's leave poetry for a moment and discuss something else.

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English Language Keypoints

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One Day

 I strive, I strove

I have striven;

Oh my friends

My friendly foes_

If one day, I become rich

Its not my power, my strength,

Nor my intellectual skill

But the spirit says the lord....

I just have to confess.

Read More

Remedy

 A silent night is a silent relationship

A silent relationship is a dying relationship

Never pass the night without country music

Country music will fire your flame of friendship;

With country music_ no boring love, no breaking up.

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Sijo Poem About How Religion Fail In Sight of Terrorism

 Sijo Poem 1

Pulpits preach love, mosques call mercy, altars vow to shield

Yet Oriire’s children vanish while leaders only yield

If gods won’t walk here, let humans rise and keep the field.

Sijo Poem 2

Crosses, crescents, carved wood - all swore to guard the night

But Oriire’s silence grew while children slipped from sight

Let vows mean nothing if our feet won’t walk and fight.

Sijo Poem 3

We filled the air with prayers to three names for one peace

Still kidnappers harvest where fear refuses to cease

If heaven delays help, then earth must write its own release.

Sijo Poem 4

Altar, minaret, shrine - each claimed the child as their own

Yet Oriire’s night knows them only by their moan

When faith keeps quiet, let justice speak in stone.

NOTE:- Sijo is a traditional Korean poetic form featuring three lines that total about 44 to 46 syllables...

Read More At https:// www.mynaijapoets.blogspot.com

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