PONDERING THE FUTURE IN POETRY

Exactly four years ago, I was undergoing compulsory national youth service (NYSC) for my country Nigeria in the city of Lagos. On a certain evening, I observed a usually lively and happy little girl looking seriously into a book. When I inquired, Adaeze (Her name) got me pondering when she said she was examining her possible career path with the help of a counselling book. She was confused as she had interest in Entertainment, Fashion and Business, but no doubt she was brilliant. This made me ponder deeply over where and how I may find myself in the future (in what i considered to be 'confused' or 'uncertain' times), through the eyes of the 'little girl' in a poem. I reproduce the poem below and draw some lessons, 4 yeras on.

LITTLE GIRL, CONFUSED AGE

There the litte girl sits, peering into the book;
Begging for clues on what the future holds,
She invokes intuition – obstacles to brook;
Entreating to relish secrets, secrets that time yonder holds.

The sparrow perches, seeking rest for the night;
The nocturnal owl hoots, peering for night prey,
As twilight grows older, she seeks some light;
Striving to elicit vigour, before the scalp goes grey

The little girl ponders in a confused age;
Cruelty is grown bold, humaneness, cold.
Gazing towards busy streets, she sees no ace;
Though much is in rot, some dazzle remains, of gold.

A seed sown in time, may just nicely blossom;
Bearing fruit in time, good fruit in our failing days,
She very well could thrive, like survivors from Sodom;
Scaling hurdles to glorious days, of glorious eternal rays.

Written at 6.40 p.m., 27 March 2007 at Lagos, Nigeria.


Everyday we make plans for the future, but much of our plans revolve around contingencies. We never have certainty of where we are headed, but mere approximations of where we want to go, or be, or do. If many things remain uncertain, a few are certain, and one of such is that determination and commitment never leave us on the same spot the next day. We always move- and never backwards, even though sometimes, progress ironically may mean a step backwards!

Have a lovely week ahead!