Read Dr. Agbaje's
Poems
A collection of 17 poems written by Dr. David Agbaje.
“Edward Gone Bedward” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in RAKE (A Literary Forum) No. 3 (1990), p. 31.
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’.
- David Olusegun Agbaje
“If You Pray” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in RAKE (A Literary Forum) No. 4 (1991), p. 16.
If You Pray
If
You
Pray
You will be wise
If you are wise
You will be well
If you are well
You will be rich
If you are rich
You should be kind
If you are kind
You will be great
If you are great
You should praise him
If you praise him
He will send more
If he sends more
Praise him the more -
Who is above!
Who is around!
Who is within!
Leading you on.
-David Olusegun Agbaje.
“Manifold Blessings” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in RAKE (A Literary Forum) No. 1 (1989), p. 22.
Manifold Blessings
If you are busy being kind,
You won’t have time to find
That the man next to you
Has been unfair to you.
If you are busy being glad,
And bringing smiles to the sad,
You may even be in chains
You will not feel the pain.
If you are busy shooting prayers
Of love and health and wealth to others,
You will enjoy in this world and beyond even,
Manifold blessings pouring from heaven.
-David Olusegun Agbaje.
“Press On!” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in American Poetry Anthology Vol. VII, No. 5. Ed. John Frost, Sa...
Press On!
Press on!
Press on!
Press on!
The way is long and serpentine, rubbly and
hilly, buffeted by riotous roar-vomiting wind
showering confetti of hot pecking sand,
With fortitude and faith they pressed on,
In the end,
They arrived.
Press on!
Press on!
Press on!
The way is long and serpentine, rubbly and
hilly, buffeted by riotous roar-vomiting wind
showering confetti of hot pecking sand,
With fortitude and faith please press on,
In the end, like the westbound eastern sun
You too will arrive.
-David Olusegun Agbaje.
“Press On!” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in American Poetry Anthology Vol. VII, No. 5. Ed. John Frost, Santa Cruz: American Poetry Association (1988), p. 9.
“The Spirit” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in RAKE (A Literary Forum) No. 5 (1991), p. 29.
“Flickering, Flickering Firefly” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in RAKE (A Literary Forum) No. 6 (1992), p. 33.
Flickering, Flickering Firefly
Flickering flickering firefly,
Like an aeroplane landing
In the charcoal night,
Like a motor-car turning
At a crossroads,
Your heat-free light flickers on.
Flickering flickering firefly,
What a wonder you are!
Is there a battery in your belly?
Cool you are in my hand
And flickering yet is your heatless light.
Flickering flickering firefly,
Like diamonds on the cutter’s table,
You shimmers adorn the evening grass.
Please, clap with me to sing to Him
Who made you the way you are,
To baffle me;
To humble me.
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
“Don’t Corrupt” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in Times International, 7 February 1983 p. 29.
“Infant Day I Welcome You” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in POSSAN Torch (June 1987), p. 42.
“Mixed-Grill” by Agbaje, David Olusegun. Published in Times International, 8 June 1981 p. 29.
I Am a Nigerian
Whenever I meet you,
Wherever you meet me,
Don’t ask after my tribe,
Don’t ask after my state,
All I know is I am a Nigerian.
Whenever I meet you,
Wherever you meet me,
Don’t ask after my faith,
Don’t ask after my denomination,
All I know is I am a Nigerian.
An Hausa, an Ibo, a Yoruba you might be,
A Muslim, a Christian, a free-thinker you might be,
A Catholic, an Anglican, an ‘Aladura’ you might be,
Brothers we are; united like a bunch of brooms we should be,
To sweep our country clean,
To make our nation great.
-David Olusegun Agbaje
No One Stands Alone in this World
No One Stands Alone in this World
No one stands alone in this world
The Designer has made it so;
He has made us in pairs
For the world to stand forever.
No one stands alone in this world
A lone hand cannot stand for long
It will slip, sink and stink like
Stagnant water still and stale.
A sorrow shared is a sorrow lessened
A joy shared is a joy made full
You need me as I need you
To taste these in turns and carry on.
I see a part of you in me
I see a part me in you
I cannot stand for long
If you leave me for so long.
We are meeting to part and parting to meet to nourish the world
Like happy rivers flowing into the excited ocean
Which anchors the advancing world
Under the watchful eyes of God.
- David Olusegun Agbaje
Papa, Mama
Papa, Mama,
Why do you call me Mickey?
Why do you call her Hilda?
And why do you call him Willy?
Papa, Mama,
Beautiful but foreign are these names,
They have journeyed from afar
Their homes and lands they proclaim.
Papa, Mama,
Sweet and pregnant are African names,
They too want to journey far
Our home and land they proclaim.
Authentic African name is a password
In a curious, colourful, delighted and delightful world.
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
Callous Cowardly Tsunami!
Callous Cowardly Tsunami!
Look at the havoc you have wreaked!
What is your gain from your surprise attack
On restful nations berthing the 2004 ship?
Callous Cowardly Tsunami!
Wives in wails, husbands in horror,
Children in chills, parents in peril,
Towns torn, cities sacked,
Nations stripped naked as at birth.
All from your boxing-day ambush.
Callous Cowardly Tsunami!
By your Asia-Africa-long stretch, a Goliath you are!
But David is here; hear this!
His God-inspired techno-sling shot spells your doom.
Nations like a bouncy ball will sail again, unbowed, unafraid.
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
1st written: 27 December, 2004
Revised: 24 October, 2015.
Soft and Sublime Is
Soft and sublime is
The music of the spheres;
The handsome golden sun trumpets,
The amorous silver moon sings,
And the shy diamond stars
Dance and dance and dance
To the dreamy harmony.
How is it that they
Hum so harmoniously?
What is it that they
Sing so softly?
What is it that they
Whisper so well?
“Listen to our soft sound”, they say.
“Share in our sublime song,
Perceive the perfect harmony,
Ruling our rotational reign”.
“We are above in order to serve.
Receive the healing thrill by
Applying the exalting law.
The law is God,
God is love,
Love is the law”.
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
The Greatest Thing in the World
The Greatest Thing in the World
Like a bush fire in the dry season,
Sexual love is wild and transient.
Like rushing water from a burst pipe,
Sentimental love is dangerous and transient.
It is a counterfeit.
Like the sun in the sky shining on all alike,
True love does not discriminate.
Like water fresh from a spring,
True love is uncontaminated.
Like a growing flower in a garden,
True love is patiently cultivated.
It is tender and strong,
It is empathy, tolerance and justice.
It is gold coming after marriage,
It is a magnet binding humanity.
True love is the greatest thing in the world.
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
To Dance Round the Whole Round World
To Dance Round the Whole Round World
To dance round the whole round world
Let girls everywhere join hands to form a round,
Let boys everywhere join hands to form a round,
Let women everywhere join hands to form a round,
Let men everywhere join hands to form a round,
What four big merry rounds we would have!
Let the big merry female rounds fuse to form a round,
Let the big merry male rounds fuse to form a round,
What two very big colourful merry rounds we would have!
Let the two very big colourful merry rounds blend like piano keys into one,
What a mighty colourful merry round we would have
To dance round the whole round world!
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
You Can Civilize Sunmisola
You Can Civilize Sunmisola
You can civilize Sunmisola,
You can baptize Bala,
But their native names,
Do not corrupt.
You can educate Edike,
You can reform Kofi,
But their native names,
Do not corrupt.
As John Bull and Jacques are to Europe,
Their African names identify them,
Whatever they become,
Wherever they go.
- David Olusegun Agbaje.
Dr. Agbaje's
Unpublished Academic Researches
1
“A Diagnostic Testing of Reading: A Case Study of Primary V Pupils in Selected Schools in Samaru Zaria.” B. Ed. (Language Arts) Group Project, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1982).
2
“Vision of Horror: A Study of the Poetry of Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali.” M. A. Dissertation, University of Benin, Benin City (1990).
3
“Apartheid and the South African Poet: A Study of the Selected Works of Oswald Mtshali, Dennis Brutus and Mazisi Kunene.” Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Port Harcourt (2009).
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