PRAISES BE

Ótu tò dili !
Praises be !
Praises be to the creator
Let praises ring eternal
ka mmadu ni’ne si –
Let all people say –
Praises be!
Praises be to the creator.

Ótu to dili !
Praises be !
Praises be to the creator
let nations His praise sing
Ka’ bu’lie ya elú –
Let us lift Him up –
Praises be !
To the creator,
Praises eternal

HE

Some have seen His glory
the might of His power
some live for Him only,
for the love of the Father.

When strong tides rise,
still we will praise
When mountains crush,
then faith will arise.

For some have seen Him
Yes, even of the very He,
telleth the sounds of the hymn
We will see; –
Even on that morn so clear – He.
He, the son of man,
the king of glory.

ESCAPE

It’s this secure cage
I’m in,
It’s the same page
all the time,
It’s this place I have been
all my life,
It has never been great
always tight,
not enough room to move
I stagger round and round
and fall in the same pit.
Life…
It has always been this way
I grow tired of it.
Yet I stay.
I feel like there’s nowhere to
It feels like escape is far away
I am shut up in this world
where no windows lie
No route to outside world lays
I am constantly sickened
by the foul smell
that exudes this hell.
I look above into the heavens
I see nothing but blankness,
I gaze at the very heart of darkness
a reel is placed over my eyes;
no birds, no stars, no sky.
Beneath me lays a sealed off world
It is a world I regret
to say I put myself in
with its sides cold as steel
my prisoner status confirmed with a seal
I lay awake;
Day and night,
tossing left and right
tears my eternal cake;
dimmed and wearily my eyes lay,
my heart pantry within me,
my soul depressed it lay,
my spirit dismayed.
I wonder when
I will lay my eyes onSon night sky
one full of stars
when will I,
look directly in the eyes of the sun
when will I
be counted amongst men again
when will I feel
the peace that passeth all understanding
when will I
the bread of sorrows,
eat no more.

Listen;
For when all is but lost
Yet, from the belly of the sea
From the heart of the fiery fire
in the midst of the storm
then shall arise a light
shining forth
then will I find my strength
on the wings of the Son of Man
For He cometh with healing in his wings
I will rise
and say to myself
Arise! son of man, Arise!
I will spread my wings
I will strengthen my feet
I will raise my arms
I will break free from the chains
And like a bird,
Like a golden eagle
I am escaped from the hunters snare
For the snare is broken
Like from a mare
never to be put down again
I am free
the chains are broken
the pain is taken
the wait is over
Escape!
The cage is freed of its prey
time has lost track of time
the earth has disregarded her seasons
the creatures of the heavens lost their order
I fly, l glide –
Far side –
No challenge in sight
I have escaped
I soar higher
aiming directly at the sun
till the peak of heights I’ll go
For I have been strengthened
I have waited and am freed
I will not be weary
For I have escaped
the little creatures
wonder at this new found courage
I reach far
For I know who I believeth
Escape!

Bio:

Abasiama Udom is a poet and writer living in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa ibom State. She was born October 1997.

She is a student of Education and spends the day studying or waiting for something new.

She tweets @AneuPoet.