1
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: The Voices of the Streets
Poem:
"You don't know what it's like. . .what it's like to be me",
The sound echoes through the streets, the voice of the people,
Of the children of this generation,
A generation with more faults then we would like to admit,
Yet with more potential then we could ever dream of,
The voice of the old scream, "What happened?",
The voice of the old scream, "How could it have all gone wrong?";
But what they forget is, what was wrong can still be made right,
It is not too late to win this fight,
The streets cry for help,
Oh you can't hear it?, or you don't hear it?
Or is it that you think, you do not need it?
I for one would rather not live my life beat,
Just struggling through the streets to make dead ends meet;
Yes, there is a better way, and don't you say it's because I'm black,
Well look at me, I am black, from Hackney and on top of my game,
And I am not referring to street games,
I am above that, and you can be too,
But to be above, you must first look above,
Get on your knees, He answers all your needs.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
2
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Why do we Dream?
Poem:
Why do we dream?
Why do we reach for stars?
When we know we can not have them;
Why do we hope?
For things to come which are out of our reach,
Why do we love?
What we can't, and may never possess,
Why do we hurt?
When we do not receive what we ask for,
Why do we cry?
When all our dreams seem to turn to dust,
Why do we dream?
For it is in our dreams we see visions,
In our hope we bring forth expectation,
In our love we have joy,
In our hurt we gain wisdom,
In our tears we seek comfort,
In our sorrow we are uplifted,
To live another day,
Knowing that it can only be better than the last.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
3
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Still Me
Poem:
Close your Eyes,
Forget everything exists around you,
Now imagine...
Dream of a fantasy not yet realised;
Now open you eyes, but slowly,
I see a world a little different,
I am a little smarter, a little faster, a little braver,
My name has now changed,
I see my world as it exists through my eyes;
I can see you, I can see her,
I can have her if I so desired,
I can do anything;
I have escaped from who I once was,
And strangely, even though this though should scare me...
It doesn't,
I am a stranger to even myself,
The impossible seems possible,
I can do anything;
but I look in the mirror and I still see me.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
4
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: So Should I Stop?
Poem:
To search for and not to find,
Is something I can never bear;
So should I stop searching?
To wish for and not to have,
Is a pain I'll bear always;
So should I stop wishing?
To hope for and not have hope met triumph,
Is something that I would not curse on an enemy;
So should I stop hoping?
To dream of and not have dream met with reality,
Is something we all bear and carry;
So should one stop dreaming?
For in our dreams and aspirations,
We will find hope and strength,
To search for what we want the most,
To love and to care for someone,
Someone, unlike any other, loves you back.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
5
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Mended Heart
Poem:
Times change,
But my feelings never do;
Things change,
But my love for you will never change;
Like a broken vase,
My heart once was;
Until I met you.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
6
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: The Disease Called Man
Poem:
I search for a cure to a disease I bear,
It eats up my insides and makes me lash out violently,
It hardens my heart and I show no empathy to those I hurt,
It makes me seek for more even though I have enough,
It makes me lie to and hurt those who care for me,
It makes me afraid to show love, but long to be happy,
It hides my hurt with rage and endless lust,
It steals my soul - what makes me human,
It makes me proud of the things I do,
To hurt and deceive, yet feel apathy,
To do wrong and lie, yet feel no grieve,
Some call it being strong and cool,
Other take pleasure in it for it is all they know to do,
I cry out for it to stop, to cease, to dissipate,
For my soul to return and let hurt and love take their place,
To be not just a boy but a man,
This disease that flows in the veins of all male,
Should be cured, must be cured,
Before it is known as being a Man
Or is it too late?
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
7
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Time too Short: Why?
Poem:
It began with a word, a line, a sentence;
But don't they all;
It's never important how it began;
No one thinks of how it will end;
The things we do with no reason;
The risks we take, are they worth it;
The time we waste being stubborn;
The time we shared being idol - wasted;
We try to make sense of things;
Seeing things through untrained eyes;
Wondering, asking the same questions;
Over and over again: why?
Why are we here? And what are we here to do?
Why do things happen, and why do people come and go?
The answer - the only answer;
The one we choose not to acknowledge;
The one we all know,
Or do we?
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
8
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Inspiration
Poem:
My Greatest Inspiration
Sun rays - filtering through cotton white clouds;
Dew drops - slowly running down the side of a petal;
Sunset - as it reflexes off the glassy sea;
Crashing waves - as they hit the rocks below;
Beauty - as it shown in a woman;
The soul - as revealed in your eyes;
Stars - the night lights of the sky;
Rainbows - the skies own paintbrush;
Music - the euphony of two souls as they touch for the first time;
Art - a Mans soul expressed in full;
Ballet - a graceful combination of leaps and twirls;
Petals - of a flower so sensuous and sweet;
His words - what I should mediate on day and night;
Inspiration - what links all these together;
To find - what can drive my soul.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
9
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Memories of a Love
Poem:
I look at flowers - the scent of the rose;
I walk on the beach - the sound of the crashing waves;
I stare at the sunset - a taste of beauty;
I reach for the sand on which I stand,
And as it slowly runs through my fingers, it brings back memories:
The look in your eyes - its everlasting sparkle;
The sound of your voice - a euphony never to be forgotten;
The sight of your smile - true beauty at its peak;
At night I reach out my hands into the cold arms of the night,
Trying to feel you just one more time,
One single drop rolls down my face, tells me never again,
The feel of your hands on my face, replaced by the cold wind of time,
The feel of your lips on mine,
Replaced by the empty void in my heart;
All I want, all I need, all I think of, all I desire:
One more kiss, one more touch;
To lose and find myself in your arms,
Knowing you'll still be there when I wake up;
Like pearls on the beach, they remain priceless;
My memories of my Love.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
10
Poet: Ovo
Poem Title: Beyond Sight
Poem:
Calm but raging,
Lost but found,
Alive but dead,
Searching but have already found,
Confused, yet for the first time I see clearly;
It was her - my inspiration;
She had always been there;
I don't know why it took me so long to see,
But see I can,
And believe I do;
Sense is nothing,
Until you see beyond reason,
And look beyond sight,
To the depth and beyond, and back again,
From the first time to last time,
So the story goes it was you,
That did and shall forever more;
Fill void called my soul;
We remain as one;
Even though we are apart.
Ovo Michael Gharoro-Akpojotor
Copyright ©2005 Ovo Gharoro-Akpojotor
