Have You Heard The News?..

October 9, 2015October 9, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha26 Comments

In response to The Daily Post prompt Connect the dots

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.

With the amount of distressing news that comes on once you turn on the Television, I limit my time spent on TV to the barest minimum each day and on some days, not at all!

Catching the headline news is done when my day is half gone, that way I keep sane and will not start my day with so much disheartening, depressive news.

I equally refuse to listen to news before going to bed. It is bad for one’s health!

However, with respect to this prompt, I turned on the TV and caught the tail end part of possible strategy for combating ISIS.

The question posed was that with all the human atrocities that they commit, how come they maintain a position of financial strength by selling oil illegally and purchasing ammunition from undisclosed sources?

What went through my mind as I listened was:

Who are these Clandestine ISIS customers?
Who are their shameless ammunition suppliers?
How come the World powers that be, lack the intelligence to decipher who these entities are?
Is it that the World powers know and yet they choose to play Possum or Ostrich?

I know that without being told that there are those who will forever capitalize on the sorry state of affairs that exists in the World to fatten their pockets through the loopholes of terrorism, but to what ends?

How much is it really worth trading on people’s lives ?

I think that these are some of the most miserable greedy humans on Earth! Those who trade on human lives to line their pockets!

All the wealth acquired can never buy a true moment of peace!

We can only occupy a room at a time , drive a car at a time, eat only so much and at the end of it all, we have a small 6-foot space in Mother Earth where we go from dust to dust and with NOTHING AT ALL! !

Sorry to sound so dour 😔!

That is what the news does to me at times.

Well, let me turn off the TV right now and look forward to brighter thing’s since I can’t solve all the World’s problems!

A good evening to you all😊

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Image credit: Pinterest

Life · Poetry/Poems · Writing · writing ideas

The Lady and the Map…an Ode

October 9, 2015October 9, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

Oh! There was an old map that the lady loved;
We used to be together, You and I;
Clutched every step of the way;
From East to West
From North to South
You and I; Map
Were inseparable!

Carefully plotted and stamped with anticipated goals;
Decorated with achievements and all the golden laurels;
At every mile and every inch of the way;
Map boasted of selfish individuality;
And screamed, Me, Me, Me!

The Map and Lady;
Grew very selfish in ambitions;
In a hasty bid to cover every milestone;
Lady forgot to tie her laces;
A trip, a fall and over the brimstone!

Scraped knees and a bleeding thumb;
Map got torn and was no longer perfect;
Lady sat in the puddle;
Wondering at the puzzle;
Then helping hand came to lift lady out of the muddle!

Bruised but not beaten;
Battered but not finished;
Lady said goodbye to old map;
Obtained a nicer map;
And sets-off on a happier journey!

In fulfillment of Writing 201 Poetry – Day 5: Map, Ode, Metaphor

Life · Poetry/Poems · Social Issues · The Daily Post · writing ideas

The Face Of Evil..

October 8, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha29 Comments

In response to The Daily Post prompt Wicked Witch

Write about evil: how you understand it (or don’t), what you think it means, or a way it’s manifested, either in the world at large or in your life.

Evil lies at every door!
Sneaky and eager to slip in,
When the door is left unlocked,
Evil slips in unwatched!

In each of us exists a Jekyll and Hyde,
Always a tussle between Good and Bad,
Who wins is left for you to say,
Because, indeed, evil lies at the door!

She doesn’t look like the wicked witch from East-wick,
Neither does she resemble the witch from Far East,
But resides in all those, with malevolent eyes,
Indeed, evil lies at the door!

She needs not have a hooked, pimply nose,
Nor cast spells over,
Pots of mumbo-jumbo,
A minutes delay, the spell is done,
Indeed, evil slips in through the door!

S/he comes well packaged in lovely gift wraps,
S/he comes sensuous, sleek with soft touch,
Glossy and sweet, like everything nice,
A little taste and then its doom,
Indeed, evil lies at the door!

S/he needs no crooked black hat,
Nor a black cat that spits with squinted eyes,
She needs no broom,
To get her vroom,
Yes indeed, evil lies at the door!

At the door of an unrepentant heart,
With no sense of remorse!
At the door of wicked pleasure,
From others pain and misery!
At the door of abuse, loneliness, violence and more,
Yes indeed, evil lies at the door!

Guard your hearts and minds!

Hope · Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Love · Poetry/Poems · Writing

Imperfect Parts Of A Perfect Whole…

October 8, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha41 Comments

Dare we take a peek? I shudder;
I shudder, should we dare seek to see;
Beneath our pantomime parades;
What turbulence lies under the facades;
Can the glare of the twisted mess found beneath;

Can the parts all broken, cracked, jumbled, mangled and messed up beyond measure;
Ever fit, not to cause so much displeasure?
Facades that shimmers and glimmers like timeless diamonds;
Yet within their confined cupboards they fight and grapple with their demons;

Painful warts underneath, score my soul like those of a soiled dove;
dirty, filthy, unbecoming, unwholesome tiny cracks everywhere;
The freckles of imperfection marks me brutally;
I am covered in sinful spots and dots;
A sore sight to the sinless eyes;

But who are these sinless eyes? Where are they be to be found? I ask;
Shall we dare to take a peek to see;
There are no sinless between you and I;
All broken bits of imperfections we are;
But yet he says;

Come! I beseech you;
Come to me with all your freckles and all your warts!
Come to me with all your spots and all your dots!
Disgraced, Broken, Discarded, Cracked, Twisted, Warped,Mangled,
Hopeless, Desperate, Ashamed, Naked;

However spotty it might be!
Come!
For my perfection makes your imperfection whole!
Come!
For I came to set the captives free!

Family · Life · Love · Personal story · Poetry/Poems · Writing

Ude-Aku…The tale of the wrinkled hands

October 7, 2015October 7, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha62 Comments

Grandma dancing on the occasion of my traditional/customary marriage.

I held your frail wrinkled hands in mine,
They were much smaller!
Now! You were old!
The skin of your hands had waxed, waned and tautened over decades;
Toughened by ages of farming and weeding, from lifting innumerable hot clay pots from the burning firewood, from bathing babies; lots and lots of babies.

I caressed them lightly; noting the veins that stood out more prominently; noting the traditionally placed tattoos and the story behind the tattoos;
Beautiful age worn hands that had nourished,
Beautiful wrinkled bejeweled fingers that lightly applied ”Ude-Aku” on my scalp whilst shaping my unruly hair into a bouffant style.

Those fingers were my preferred hair stylist because, you did not pull it tight like Mama Nkechi used to do whilst making the periwinkle hair-do for me.
Beautiful hands that left my little bum smarting from a well-deserved smack after a misbehaviour.

I beheld your face with my eyes. Your beautiful dark skinned face;
I looked! Looking and looking at every lovely lined feature of your face.
Knowing that it might probably be the last time that my eyes would behold your skin.
Your eyes had seen the Civil war, your eyes had looked life in the face, it was a map of times past, etched with love and pain, with joy and laughter, with fear and worry, with seeing things that I can barely imagine…
Your lovely wrinkled face, etched with very fine lines and tiny spots that had stolen in and taken bold space,
Your crown of whitened hair held in a little bun
Everything had grown smaller!
Your skin had shrunk and your capacious bosom which used to cradle my hair, had bowed to the caprices of gravity
You had aged!
I saw it coming! I knew that it would happen!
But I wasn’t prepared!
The pain still cut me deep!
I wasn’t prepared to stop looking at your age-wizened face!
And when you left, you left with the name!
Grandma, nobody ever calls me Nnedim or Ngozika again!
They were your special bequests to me.
You left with your skin all shriveled by death
And you took the lovely smell of Okwuma and Ude-Aku!

Quick Glossary For Words in Native Igbo:

Nkechi: A native Igbo name shortened from Nkechinyere which means “The one that God gave.”

Ngozikaego: A native Igbo name which means ”Blessings are far better than money” derivatives of the names are Ngozi, Ngozika, Kaego, Ego

Nnedim: meaning ”My husbands mother” this infers to the belief in reincarnation and grandma believed that I was her mother-in-law reincarnated..

Okwuma: Native ointment made from Shea Butter.

Ude-Aku: Local body cream made from oil extracted from roasted palm kernels.

In fulfillment of Writing 201 – Poetry Day 3: Skin. Prose Poem. Internal Rhyme.

Creative Writing · Haiku · Societal Issues · Writing

This Thing Called Television…Haiku

October 5, 2015October 5, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha40 Comments

Attractive apparatus of beguiling nature;
Young minds beckoned, cajoled, confused, deceived, taunted;
Traditions changed, formed over time.

In fulfillment of Writing 201 Poetry Day 1: Screen, Haiku, Alliteration

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short story · The Daily Post · Writing

His Flanges Got Propped!…. A short story

October 3, 2015October 4, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

It’s been quite a grueling competition! Sebastian is determined to win the championship even if is by the skin of his teeth!

He has come far and this is it! The moment of his life and his dreams!

He could almost taste the victory and the fame at the end of it all.

His face would be splashed all over the papers and television. Instant celebrity status stamped on him as he turns into the toast of the town.

Endorsements would fly in from here and there. He could imagine his preening and the ladies cooing after him; his companionship sought by all. He could see it all! The pause to pose for silent brooding pictures for the paparazzi. The constant request for interviews. The frenetic social calendar. What a success it would be!

For just a split second, his wandering mind drifts off from the game at hand. In that split second, the ball comes sailing through the air and his delayed reaction causes him to over-reach. His legs fly out under him! He sails into the air, landing with such a heavy thud at an odd angle.

Pain pierces and radiates through his entire body. He struggles to rise but this legs crumble under him as the excruciating pain keeps him down.

The medics rush to attend to him and a quick examination is carried out.

Through the haze of the pain, a sober voice filters through;

“Well my young man, it appears you have popped a rib or two!” Said the Voice.

”You will be needing a FLANGIPROP for support for several months or more.” ”Unfortunately you cannot continue with the game.” The droning voice continued as he administers on-site first aid.

He is quickly holstered on a stretcher whilst he writhes in pain and anger. This is not the way it is meant to end he argues in his mind.

The flashes of the camera keeps popping in his face as the paparazzi catch every wince of pain and misery that is etched on it.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha.

In response to The Daily Post – Invent a definition for the word “Flangiprop,” then use the word in a post.

The actual definition of Flange: An external or internal rib or rim which is used to add strength or to hold something in place.

The actual definition of Prop: An object placed against or under another to support it: anything that supports.

Blogging · Hope · Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Writing · Writing 101

Looking Beyond the Last Dance….

October 2, 2015October 2, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha66 Comments

At some point, especially when our dancing swag steps are beginning to sway and jive with the beats of the music; especially when our shoes feel more comfortable that we are ready to start kicking and bumping like Soul Train dancers, dawn filters through and the DJ tells you that the party is over; you wonder how time flew so fast and how much fun you had whilst the beat was going on.

At some point, the party does come to a close even if you don’t feel like leaving the club 😉
This is how Writing 101 makes me feel. Like hanging back in the warmth of these lovely beats. I am glad that I took the class!

If you are still considering whether you should participate in any forthcoming class, cease the overthinking and dawdling.

Put on your dancing shoes and just hop into the fray. I tell you, it’s one experience that you won’t regret.

Writing 101 drew me out! It drew out thoughts that were under boulders begging to be let out. It set my heart free in so many ways.

I have written far more on this blog in the past few weeks than when I started in May. This is a good thing!

I met so many wonderful people/bloggers that made me happy, thoughtful, inspired, motivated and impressed.

I read posts that made me howl in laughter (and I had to share with my hubby so that he doesn’t feel left out of my merriment), posts that made my eyes well up in tears, posts that made me hunger for certain experiences….so many posts that left something behind.

I connected with so many of you and if the truth be told, the list would get too long if I should commence enlisting all the bloggers that made Writing 101 worth my while.

You all brought something to the table and my sincere thanks to every single one of you.

You are definitely Marvelous!

Please, let us stay connected beyond this class. We have a lot to learn from each other.

Wading forward:

I shall spend the next few days catching up with my mails and clicking furiously in The Commons on blogs that might have escaped my views before the DJ shuts the door in my face.
There are several awards to catch up with and I do appreciate them. They decorate my blogging house 🙂
A bit of tweaking with some little widgets are long overdue.
Within the month, I want to inculcate a project ”POsitive TRain CHallenge” which would be thrown open for all who choose to get on board. A post with regards to this will follow suit in due course and I will definitely crave your indulgence.
Even though, I know that I am young at these blogging things and may not know so much about what it takes to be a successful blogger, I would like to throw my blogging doors open as a Hostess for a monthly blog hopping experience. Remember that ”we only get better from doing.”
A new feature for Short Stories Series (SSS) will be inculcated on my blog by next week as well.
I will be dabbling into the poetry class from next week to see what poetic lyrics I can wax – sometimes I wonder why I get myself into these things 😉
Nanowrimo is also on my radar to give my novel writing a nudge. I will give it more thought.

On a Personal Note:

I plan to laugh and laugh some more!
To devise more ways of spending quality time with my family.
To continue on my quest to loose some useless pounds that don’t aid my body in any way.
A deep contemplation of going back again through the doors of a college/university is in the offing. I am considering a Youth Leadership program or Communication Arts. I honestly don’t have it all worked it in my head, but we will see how it goes.

That’s it my good folks! Thank you for staying with me and I shall leave you with these last words:

“As we journey through diversity and different plains, may our ink-pots never run dry – Keep writing..”

Over and OUt..Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha ……Till next time 🙂

In fulfillment of Writing 101 – Day 20 Assignment: The Future

Fiction · Short story · Writing 101 · writing ideas

He Was Father’s Good Friend…a short story for you.

October 1, 2015October 1, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha46 Comments

Today’s assignment in Writing 101 – Day 19 Assignment: Feature a Guest is actually a feature that I would like to inculcate in my blog posts going forward.

It would be a way of sharing those articles/words that ministered to me during the week, as well as serving the purpose of neighbourly recognition and encouragement.

They could come in the form of quotes, pictures, stories, experiences, anecdotes, recipes, etc.

The idea is to share my own short story followed by the links to the URL’s of those things that captivated my mind, that made me smile, ponder, cook, dance, rant in my mind, inspired and motivated me during the past few days.

He was fathers’ good friend… a short fiction.

He was fathers’ good friend, but he wasn’t mine! Even though he worked very hard to be my friend, his sweetness repulsed me! He would visit a lot of evenings and occupy space with his large frame, guffawing at every joke even those that I failed to understand.

Many attempts did he make to pinch my butt when no one looked. Attempts made to squeeze my budding chest under the pretext of an uncle-y hug. He fooled them all by his pretense to be a good one!

Armful of candies to cajole and sweeten Carols little mind, followed by his clumsy, harsh breathing hugs. As she grew up she knew what it was. The day she found him out for who and what he was, is not one that she cares to remember. Even though the foggy parts of her brain sometimes brings up these better forgotten memories….of a sleepover that turned into a night of pain.

She faltered and haltingly told mother; how she was hurt and she can remember the redness of mothers face. The string of curses that spewed from mothers mouth and her vengeful promise to deal with him.

He came calling again, his cloak of conviviality all annoying Carol’s 9 year old mind and she hid at a distance, away from his treacherous hugs.

Mother gave him good helpings of the casserole (Carol wondered why he never ate in his house, wasn’t he just the gluttonous one, wanting to covet his neighbours goods) and copious doses of wine.

He drank and he drank. Little dribbles and droplets dotted his pale shirt and stood stark like blood.

He left under the haze of wine and thereafter, and was never seen again.

Now and again Carols mind drifts and she wonders whatever became of him. How did mother get the boogie man to stop visiting?

Father seemed sad for sometime. His friend came visiting no more.

The END

The posts that I would like to share because they spoke to me:

Bring in the Light I found this quite inspiring and thought provoking. It is up to you to choose!

Its the little things I simply fell in love with this post! *Hugs* Kelly

The Orchard – Horror story Thrilled and gave me the chills too 😉

The problem was me.. This is a beautiful story Mary Lou 🙂

What value system are you instilling in your children? Am I doing a good job? One always needs to ask these questions.

Anand’s Parodies & Caricatures He brings out the chuckle in me 🙂