Poets Corner

A selection of beautifully written poems to invoke, inspire, encourage and move you. Take time to read through each and enjoy.

Call of the Motherland

Come to England
Come to England
Come to the Motherland

A call to arms, a call to fight
To give your substance and your might
To serve the King and love the Queen
You will be welcome – will be seen

Without question, without doubt
We run to heed our mother’s shout

The country’s poor and broken down
The call again, the clarion sound
Calling workers from each isle
To labour hard and stay a while

Without question, without doubt
We run to heed our mother’s shout

Now the country’s been rebuilt
By hard work and blood we spilt
Our mother has no need of us
And claims our number is too much

Now we question, now we doubt
Why does our mother want us out?

With borders closed and fear increased
They say we drain and bring disease
The call for us is to return
Our loyalty and service spurned

She’s not our mother there’s no doubt
She flushed us in to force us out

She lied when she said we are kin
She loves the colour of our blood
But hates the colour of our skin

Nairobi Thompson (c) 2019

Excerpt from
EMERGENCE

I will not deny my beauty
Because you refuse to see me
I will not account my exuberance and confidence
As arrogance
To make you more comfortable
In my presence
I will not apologise for making reference
To my race
Since you would not one single day
Look upon my face and say
‘Ah look there goes
Another perfect English rose’
You will always see an African
With a very un-English nose…

Nairobi Thompson © 2013

Beautiful you

I waited with excitement for the birth of you
You came into this world when you were destined too
The birth of a queen our world was so ready for you
As I held you in my arms, I knew that you would guide me as much as I would guide you

My girl l started my day with your beautiful smile and cut short so many meetings to rush home to you
My girl we saw the world together with a vibrant vibe that runs through the core of you

There have been times when the navigation of life has been so tough but this now adds to the flavour of you
The things you have done so far, when I was your age, I never had the confidence to do

My darling girl my heart is bursting with pride in the celebration of the birth of you
My love continue to stay true to you, finding the sweet spot in life to feed the beautiful soul within you
My beautiful queen I just love you

Trisha Dash-O’Toole
Author of Poetry A Voice Of Life
@OTuathailpoetry

Soul food

She sat at the edge of her bed, she had been granted another day, yet the heaviness of life consumed her and it’s only 6am

The walk to the shower is taken with the overwhelming feeling of the errands of the day, so long that there was no way she would achieve them and just like that negativity has set in before her first coffee

Looking in the mirror she wonders whether everyone sees what she sees, the beauty overshadowed by the dark rings around her eyes; the weariness from the heart showing up in her full brown eyes

So lost is she in the feeding of others, her compass is unable to find the balance that is essential to feeding her soul

In a moment between the errands of life, she hears it; that whisper from the universe the road ahead is now shorter than the journey travelled

Just like that she accepts the challenge from the universe to feed her soul, one day at a time

Trisha Dash-O’Toole
Author of Poetry A Voice Of Life
@OTuathailpoetry

Wonders Of The World

In the passage of time I have wondered, what’s it all about, this privilege we call life. Are we spiralling out of control consuming and abusing the fruits of the world?

Surely this is not the lesson we are meant to learn, if so, through greed and ignorance we will ruin and waste, rather than see the beauty of the world as she is; full of wonder with so much to give and ours to work with modestly

When did enough never become never enough, the discord and images of perfection that doesn’t exist; weary is this greed. I surrender to spirits I hold within, I’m ready to live better than I have ever lived

I’m ready to smell the roses now, it’s never too late to appreciate the life that I have been given the privilege to live

On this bright sunny day, I open my heart to experience the world, with the purpose I was born with

This Is Me

I know I’m good enough to live the life that I have been blessed with and more than good enough to wear the crown that my sisters before me fought so hard to achieve

Don’t underestimate the power of my silence; I’m taking the observation that I need; for when I speak, I will be heard, and you will take heed

My presence requires no introduction, you know who I am

Understand the power of my words which penetrate your thoughts, provoking actions to learn the lessons of life I feel I have lost

Know who I am when you see me; look deep for the warrior, women, survivor, leader, mother, lover, friend, sister and more

You know me and you like what you see, I am the women those haters said I would never be

Standing strong in my power, I’m the women I was meant to be, embracing life and following a purposeful dream

See Me

As she walks with one foot in front of the other, no one knows the pain that lies beneath; yet we stand in judgement of her armour that protects her from the thoughts of you

Her world is crumbling, and she is struggling to rebuild, I’m sure if you check your heart; you know that you have been here too

In the sea of faces, she only needs to be touched by one of you, that knowing smile of comfort to let her know you see her as someone once saw you

If judgement is all you have, then there is no place in her world for you, so keep stepping someone will show her kindness where you failed too

© Trisha D O’Tuathail

My Spiritual Friend

The final ceremony of life, with those who have loved you so much has been witnessed today, I am reminded that you are now in a spiritual space, free from life’s pain

The tears we cry as memories of our joy explained, in our friendship my love we have seen so much who knew that our last conversation would mean so much?

I wonder, if I listened with intent did you say goodbye to me, way back then.
If you did, I respect that it was how it was meant be
Our parting words of I love you will always stay with me

Today I remember our days of laughter, sorrow and sometimes frustration when things went wrong, but more importantly I remember our love as we supported each other through the difficult times which brought you to this physical journeys’ end

My dearest friend, I now hold you spiritually in my heart; this I know to be true; you will be with me in everything I do.

As the sun rises in morning, our friendship now spiritual will start anew; I will always smile when I think of you

My love, thank you for being you, funny, loving, strong, inspirational; your characteristics are endless these are just a few, its been a privilege to have been a friend to you.

© Tricia Modas

Freedom To Be Me

I’m not trapped, I just need to express me
That voice inside, which I hold in fear of how you will receive me
I will always be who you know me to be, it’s the change in my body I need
Do you know how refreshing it would be for my body and personality to align as it was universally destined to be
Welcome me in the gender that allows me to be free.

First Kiss

Tender is the love which held me in my truth drawing me close to all that is beautiful in you; my longing for the warmth of you
In my vulnerability, I stand before you; stir my spirit caress me in my chaos from the beginning to end, help me to escape, I need more than a friendship from you

Touch me softly, remove the torment of my pain
Open my heart expose me to the pinks, purples and sky blues again; bring happiness to my eyes

Show me love, I trust you; soft is the hand that guides me to you
My eyes are closed as our lips meet, the first
kiss so sensual and sweet
It’s all I hoped it would be, gentle, soft while pleasing my every need

Hold me while I slowly breath, this is the first time for me
That tingling feeling, my flesh is weak; but my heart is so in need of this high
Our first kiss has passed now, but who knew how long my heart would sing to the tune of you

Soft is the kiss that started my journey with you; thank you my darling I will always love you.

Ever Wonder

Ever wondered what the colour of peace would be
Purple, green, brown is what I see
These colours represent the seed of my life, with a sprinkle of yellow as the sun beams across my glowing skin, filling me with the gratitude of life that I need to start my day
Brown is me bearing my all to the world as I look up to the blue sky wondering about the experiences of life
With foundations of green at my root, providing the stability, the flow of water washing over me as reminder of life’s love and vulnerability.

 

Poetry A Voice of life by Trisha D O’Tuathail (found on Amazon). Trisha can also be found on instagram: @OTuathailpoetry

Windrush
& Me

I left all I knew to work for you, to do the jobs your people would never do
I fought in your war with a heavy heart, my blood sweat and tears – I played my part to build this country, this Great Britain with its commonwealth card

I accepted the wind rush label, but I now know you didn’t accept me; this Great Britain I served my purpose – now you want to deport me. This new label you have given me illegal immigrant after decades of taxes, and now you say I have no right to be

Now I’m enslaved in this Great Britain, no job, no benefits and homeless it’s back to the Caribbean for me, to a country I left before I was a teen – I ask what would you do if you were me; oh wait that would never be, the fact is my skin is dark so it’s ok to deport me

Your Great Britain with its right-wing views bears no shame for the likes of me, REALLY, I contributed to this economy, and you think you have the right to send me back to a life worse than I had, before you sold Windrush to me

I will not be silenced by your incompetence to keep basic records of those who help to save your Great Britain

Nor will you exercise your so called right to deport me, but this divide you have now with my black and dark skin race is so wide; this is no longer a comfortable place, I feel displaced; that can’t be right SURELY!

Shame on you, the world is watching as you regress up into your own Greatness! Well done on building a diverse community

 

Poetry A Voice of life by Trisha D O’Tuathail (found on Amazon). Trisha can also be found on instagram: @OTuathailpoetry

First

Posh Spice – Beckham’s wife
Did not invent hair extensions!
Masai warriors and Mangbetu women
Understood adornment for status
We were the first!

The World Wide Web
Was every word we said!
Passed on from generation to generation
We were the first!

Before Columbus
There were African migrations to Europe
The golden trade of the Moors
West African kingdoms of Mali
With huge fleets of merchant vessels
Trading knowledge, bronze and gold
For Mexican maize
Masters of the sea
We sailed for fair trade and not for conquest
Thus Columbus didn’t discover us
For we were not lost
He simply found his way home
As evidence points straight
To homo sapiens emerging
First from Africa
Thirst for the truth finds
That bones do not lie
We were the first!

The industrial revolution
Did not start in Europe
It started in Tanzania
Lake Victoria holds secrets
Of 13 Iron Age furnaces
Superior to European invention
We were the first!

Before Stonehenge
There were the Pillars of Namoratunga
Aligned to the stars
We were the first!

Before the Georgian calendar
The Cushite measured
Days and weeks on the rising
Of certain constellations
The Dogun in West Africa
Understood the solar system
Saturn, the moons of Jupiter
The Milky Way
They recorded complexities that today
Can only be revealed
By the most powerful telescope
They looked for hope
We were the first!

The Ishango bone
With lunar notches carved into it
Denote indisputable
Lunar approximations
The Yoruba from Nigeria
Used complex number
Systems before the Greeks
We were the first!

Imhotep, the world’s first named physician
Made medical advances in anatomical observations
And cures for ailments
All this was some millennia
Before Harvey Cushing, Alexander Fleming
And Nobel laureates
We are connected to the original
By umbilical cords of destiny and timelessness
Raise those lowered eyes
And shuffle feet no more
Shame is not our burden
These treasures are ours to boast in
These truths are ours to celebrate because
We are the FIRST

Nairobi Thompson © 2013

Colour Blind

So you don’t see colour
When you look at me
Really?
And how would you like it
If when I looked at you
I could not see what made you
Fundamentally you?
How would you feel if I didn’t see
Your flame red hair
Or that roman nose you’re so proud of
And what if I ignored your steely blues
Or the freckles you’d never remove
What if I told you
You’re completely indistinct
The same as everyone else in my eyes
Would you be offended
That I could so easily
Dismiss your individuality
Your heritage and culture?
All your distinction swallowed up in well-meaning gestures
Of assimilation for your own protection?

Fear and uncertainty around calling me black
Has you erasing my presence meticulously
By covering me with a magic cloak of indiscernibility
Forbidding me from precisely citing my own identity as seen by me!
Yet I am black by nature
And proud by choice

I challenge you to see my colour
Be heard
Saying the ‘B’ word
I can assure you there’ll be no offence taken
When you see my blackness
As synonymous with high achievement
They’l be no protest from me
When you say black is beautiful
No fall out
No walk out
No call out
When you declare
Black men as competent leaders
Black women as sharp thinkers and
Black families as cohesive and universal
Develop your thinking to fully fledged

Consciously avoid making me unseen
In order to prevent indivisibility
In the name of equality
Impairing the properties of good intention
By sanding down the uniqueness
That gives me an edge
Then alleging my lack of gratitude!

Embrace the phenomenon of origin
Go foraging for the spectrum of versatility
For you are not relieved of the responsibility
To ensure that difference is celebrated
And actively included, monotony is overrated

See my difference without the overwhelming need
To overcompensate your awareness of my diversity
By voiding my distinction to the point of my extinction
If you don’t see colour
You don’t see me
Because I am my colour
And my colour is me

See me
My physical characteristics
My spiritual qualities
My intellectual rigor
My valuable skills
My colour, my tone – See all
Then our journey together begins

Nairobi Thompson © 2010

Defiant

Don’t you know who I am?
I am an African Queen—
Stolen and traded 20 million times over

Attempts at systematically
Erasing my memory –
Have failed!

Trying to breed the black out of me
Has failed
Refusing to educate me,
Has failed
Even the glass ceiling
Cannot keep this black woman back,
As my spirit simply passes through it

I am not beautiful because you have decided
Which shade of my skin, is in
I am beautiful because I choose to believe I am
It’s how I was made
You can’t take that from me!

Go back to your history books and see
That your best efforts at annihilation
Have never truly diminished me
Resistant and rising
Persistent and climbing
Ever upwards
And there’s not one thing you can do about it!
So…how you like me now!

Nairobi Thompson © 2010

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