The Red Ridges LXIV



So Dr Hoper, you do not have to go away
We are going to give you yam and beans and plantain
We are going to uproot our cassava farms for you
We are going to farm rice and corn and cotton

We have one million drivers to propel our tractors
We have ten million fingers to plant the seeds
We have two million eyes on the watch to protect
The mattress we have built for you to retire in the end

Oh! Dr Hoper, can you hear us? would you please stay?
Remember the champagne we popped on your graduation
Remember the huge cake we baked on your birthday
Remember the gorgeous dresses, smiles and congratulations

Even if you are going, our ululations will bring you back
For there is no champion without cause and  some fame
For there is no hero without fanfare and dignity
For there is no certificate without a school and a teacher

See our gardens full of carrots, onions and lettuce
See our airports growing heads and tails of goodness
We trust you to check your level with your mates yonder
So your theater will stand by as you jet around your business
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Submitted on August 21, 2014

Modified on March 05, 2023

59 sec read
1

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABXB XXXX ABAX XXXC DDCD
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 1,026
Words 198
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Tochukwu Esq

Tochukwu Callistus Ipere is a contemporary Nigerian Poet born in Enugu. Tochukwu is a native of Ideato North in Imo State, South East Nigeria. Tochukwu was educated at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Chartered Institute of Administration, CIA where he qualified as an Associate, (ACIA) in Corporate Administration and Finance in 2011. He currently has four publications (all collections of poems)to his credit, The Creeping Fire Of Hope SGS,IMT Enugu ,1999, Dance Of The Golden Baby, Delta Enugu 2000, Get The Way and Dignity, Madonna University Press Enugu 2011 and Xlibris Publishing Corporation USA 2011.Tochukwu Ipere has won many awards as a poet these include: 1. The International Poet Of Merit Award 2001. 2. National Judge/Advocate of poems @ website http://www.poets.com 2005. 3. International Poetry Achievement Award 2007. 4. Editor's Choice Poetry Awards 2006,2007,2008. 5. International Who's Who Golden Poet Award 2007.6.International Poetic Ambassador to the International Society of Poets 2007.Tochukwu was an executive member of the Association of Nigerian Authors ANA Enugu State chapter from 1999 to 2003. He is active online and the founder of a Causes page called Support African Poetry. He has a Post Graduate Degree in Education PGDE with the National Teachers Institute NTI Kaduna. He is currently studying for a masters degree in Educational Administration in the National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN). He has interest in music and is a song writer. Tochukwu has up to 800 poems to his credit.[edit] References Ipere, T.C(2011) Get The Way, Enugu: Madonna University Press Profile on Lulu.poetry Ipere, T.C(1999) The Creeping Fire Of Hope, Enugu: School of General Studies, Institute of Management and Technology Ipere, T.C(2000) Dance Of The Golden Baby, Enugu: Delta Publications more…

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