EDITOR'S NOTE:
One can manifest, celebrate or even reciprocate love throughout the 365 days in a year, but it is always nice to do something extraordinary to specially celebrate his or her inamorato on such a special day as the Valentine’s Day, marked globally on 14th February every year.
Again, buying/giving items like ice cream, chocolates, flowers, jewelries, clothes and other kinds of gifts on such a special Day is also good; however, written words appear to be more special, enduring and memorable than them all.
It is in agreement with the above, that a group of fervent bards, 23 in number, decided to wear this year's Valentine's Day a colourful and poetic garb. This they did, by weaving and sequentially donating some stanzas and lines of carefully crafted words under a single title of “LOVE NWANTỊNTỊ”, in response to an online ‘Call for Stanzas’.
Compiled and edited by Izunna Okafor, this Special Valentine Poetry Collection, also known as World's Longest Love Poem was started in 2019, and is currently in its fourth edition this year, 2022.
It is the collation and editing of these beautiful lines and stanzas from these dexterous writers that gave birth to this masterpiece, ‘Love Nwantịntị’, in which they also explore the theme of a true and mellifluous love, vis-a-vis the Valentine's Day.
They write:
LOVE NWANTỊNTỊ
Stronger than real men
Uncountable as women
Is my true love for you
Love too blue to construe
Love nwantịntị
Deeply rooted beneath the earth
And watered from above the earth
With strands full of fun
Enabling it survive the sun
Love nwantịntị.
Greater than mere words
Truer than any thought
Is your love for me
Love nwantịntị
Nothing can describe this.
Embracing my flaws, and fills
These pores with such bliss
As a freshly breathed mint
Love nwantịntị
Let this be everlasting.
The sky strides red -
Red is a color of love -
Of the sun, setting on
the rivers, I met your love
Love nwantinti
Your love— web tangled with a needle,
to mend my heart and soul.
This is the love song you yearn to hear.
I will sing it to you
As long as our love lasts
I pray no intruder will alert
To me our bond is beyond death.
If not for anything at least
i have chiselled your name
at the walls of my heart
eternity with inks of red roses.
Beyond death is the bond
Only love nwantịntị brings
To them that love simply
Innocently, selflessly,
And those that abhor rituals
Cultism, gangsterism
And evil means to impress!
Write me love notes,
Give me flowers laced with love
And you're my Val
Forever!
Memories...
I was shivering
Holding the debris of my heart
When you watered my soul.
You came to me
A lonely, thirsty soul
When my nerves dried of sun
The memories of our love
Is such a book I'll never cease to write
Even in the absence of my soul
The memories of
Our challenges are like a rod
In a pillar
Straight as a ruler
Our union a miracle
Our love a model
Our understanding a dream
Our growth a circle that evolves freshness
At first, I was an old boy
Kissing the heart of nights.
But you dawned on me
Like the sun of a dream.
Let's metamorphose
Into the greenness of eternity.
Together, we will mushroom
Love nwantịntị
Let's transmute union while,
gulping the liquor as my companion, spying the future in oneness.
It tingles me like ice on a bare body
To my void sing the lyrics of passion let the wall of my heart echo.
Your thoughts and the desire for your endearment
powered my weakened legs
to seek solace in a safe haven
where you and I can muse together in the cuddling ecstasy of ravenous joy.
Let's go riding on the crest of joy
Once more this mo(o)nday
See again the fishlets of love
Swim within the pool of heart.
Dear, the earth is ours
And its fullness is your face
When smile x-rays as moonglow
Firm-flesh supple your skin in my palms
The world is ours alone to own.
The thought of you reinvigorates my heart
Sending shivers down my spine
Your mammary gland as succulent as a ripe pawpaw ready for harvest
The desire to grab you in my warm embrace intensifies by the day.
Open the door of your heart my love
Let me take you to my love garden
Make me your Romeo
And our sweet loving romance would know no bounds.
Love nwantịntị.
Your stares and fixtures
Remind me of a fairy hallucination
Our souls were interchanged
Each painted in same colour of affection
Wonders! and Wonders! of the mind.
You thrust in me a spear of intimacy
I'll always stand by you
To lend and to mend
Trimming our individual excesses
To leave each other better than we met.
You are the miracle that walks me
upon the sea of love
Your face has become mural paintings
on the walls of my heart
Thoughts of you punctuate my activities,
like the distant song of the lyrebird
I have become your match, and yet, your candle
Let this light be a lantern to illuminate our faces,
an aisle to walk upon.
You have become a matchbox,
If you strike, only I'll burn into ashes...
Your love falling and pouring
Like the morning dew
Cooling my scorched soul
Long dried by the
harmattan sun.
Now, our love is better and yielding
Like a tree planted
by the river side
Which flourishes in all season
My love, like switches you turn me on,
Like stitches, you mend my life,
Like patches, you cover my emotional holes,
Like matches, you light up my face with smiles.
Be my endless charm,
And I'll bury myself within your arms.
Take me not as you took the rest,
And I'll be your best.
Let me feel your warm
Embrace on a cold winter night,
Sing me a lullaby song
To lure me to sleep.
Let me be the light,
That shines
Within your heart;
When the stars are few.
My love, you're a moonflower that blooms by moonlight,
You glint like the yellow sun and your perfectly crafted facade radiates irresistible beauty.
Your perfume which scents like the lily of the valley
Saturates my soul with the undying quest to solidly stand by you.
My love, your alluring smile is the lozenge that soothes the pain of my broken soul,
Your voice piles up the holes in my heart with imperishable particles of hope.
Allow me pluck you out of your garden into mine;
For precious flowers like thee need a soul to stand with.
My love,
Your comeliness alikes a condiment,
That prettifies a mouth-watering delicacy.
Your contagious and confident smile
Is enough to melt a hardest heart.
I can't stop having the penchant
To gaze into your captivating eyes, my love.
Hence they're filled with kindness,
And literally the cutest ever seen.
I stare in awe of thy swaying features
Mind dancing to the labyrinth of thy benevolence
And...nay; the aura irresistible
Like one who rides on the sky
Oh! if thou will bid me, to grace thee a moment.
A thousand much more to be encroached I will take.
A promise to keep I make
Only if thou bidest me come hither.
Thou fairest of all.
With your cupid's bow,
You captured my heart
My warrior, my Love Nwantịntị!
Tie me with your strongest rope in your territory
Be ye mine for ever
Cuddle me with your love
Let us fete together
For it's our day, a season of love
Our ‘love is in the air’
Happy Val to you
My Love Nwantịntị.
THANK YOU FOR READING!
CONTRIBUTORS:
1. Izunna Okafor
2. Divine Ogonna
3. Paul Olayioye
4. Ahmed Aisha
5. Chisimdi George
6. John Chinaka Onyeche
7. Udo Okoronkwo-chukwu
8. Salim Yakubu Akko
9. Obiageli Ezeilo
10. Olusoji Obebe
11. Akeredolu Eniola Zion
12. Ifeanyi John Nwokeabia
13. Nket Godwin
14. Valentine Muoma
15. Nnaji Samuel Chukwuebuka
16. Kelechukwu Samuel Ojile
17. Okoro Kelechi
18. Emenike Christian Chijioke
19. Osazuwa Cynthia
20. Iheke John kelechi
21. Bard Valiant Nwokeoma (Valiant Pen)
22. Ferdinand Miracle
23. Charity Uzoagba
SALVAGE NIGERIA FROM RETROGRESSION
By Valentine C. Muoma
Nigeria my country
The giant of Africa
Blessed with natural resources
Free from natural disasters
Colonized and exploited by developed Nations
Finally became sovereign in 1960
Nigeria my country
Presently skewed by modernization theory,
Leading to the politics of retrogression and
Economy of recession
The politics of demagoguery, prebendalism, tribalism and imperialism has become a norm
Paving way for mediocrity, insecurity, inequality, dependency, corruption, bad governance and all forms of malfeasance
Our redemption from retrogression can be actualized by:
Severing foreign relations detrimental to our development
Pursuit of internal growth policy with cognizance to our peculiarities
Political restructuring where mediocrity gives way to meritocracy
An independent judiciary devoid of external interference
Diversifying the economy towards ICT, Agriculture and entrepreneurship is essential
Allocating more revenue to the advancement of our educational sector
Upholding the principle of equity and respect for human rights
Empowering law enforcement agencies for the fight against corruption and insecurity
Shunning ethnicity and embracing national integration
With these redemption measures in place,
The motto of our Nation "Unity and faith, peace and progress",
Would be seen not just in theory but also in practice
Show quoted text
Sometime ago, I attended a youth programme and overheard one of the high-ranking priests lamenting that many of the youths in the Anglican Church are breaking their (spiritual) fathers’ hearts by relocating to the Pentecostal circle especially after they had invested so much virtues in them. Several questions came up in my mind when I heard this statement. (1). Is it really compulsory for a Christian youth to remain permanently in the church/ denomination he was born into? My answer to that question is “No”. If God is leading a Christian youth to relocate to another church especially if he or she is no longer enjoying spiritual balanced diet, he or she should by no means move on to another church.
(2). Must all outstanding Christian youths become members of the hierarchical pastoral order of a church? My answer is “No”. If God has not called a youth into the ministry let no pastor or priest ‘call’ him into any of the five-fold ministries. He or she should not be cajoled or pressurized into accepting such ‘call’. Otherwise that would amount to asking the young man or woman to take on more responsibilities than he or she was created/destined to handle.
(3). Is it really wrong for a member of a church or denomination to attend programmes of other churches or denominations? My answer is “No”. It is quite alarming that several Christian leaders had promoted and are still promoting disunity by discouraging their younger followers from attending meetings or fellowship organized by other church leaders or even interact with other Christians no matter how spiritual or godly they are. Some of them even go to the extent of suspending those who attended such programmes from their responsibility (ies) in church. Let us stop the hypocrisy. Pray for unity in the Body of Christ, preach unity in the Body of Christ and practice unity in the Body of Christ.
(4). Is it compulsory for a Christian youth to remain bounded to his or her church/denomination by marrying a fellow believer from his or her church? Marrying a believer from your church/ denomination is a good idea but it is advisable that a Christian marries a man or woman that fears God, irrespective of his or her denomination.
Please do not get me wrong. It is not that I do not care about the emotional pains pastors go through each time their followers relocate to another church for whatever reason. I do but the best bet is that pastors and priests should learn to release people from their hearts when they leave the churches they oversee without hurting themselves or anyone. It is also important for a pastor or priest to identify and discover the departments or units of his church where more hands are needed and personally ask the Lord of the harvest to send more labourers to meet those specific needs in the church he pastors.
Editor's Note:
Out of their ardency, eighteen poets and poetry lovers identified with the need to give the 2020 Valentine celebration a poetic taste glamour.
With a view to harvest and immortalize this zeal, each of these bards donated a tranche of poetic condiment in response to a call for submissions made in that regard.
The fabrication of these romantic lines of epopees, as was edited by Izunna Okafor, gave birth to this panoramic poetic montage —My Love My All.
Here in this second edition of this journey, these poets explore the theme to register what love holds for them and their inamoratos in its various dimensions.
They write:
My love my all
In whose heart my treasure grows
From whose spine my pleasure flows
Nigher oh my love for in you I repose my all
Where is the inamorata who chained my treasure
She whose smile holds my pleasure!
The time fast approaches,
With its augur on rose hedges..
Where are you, my love, my all.
You whose love tower, I grow tall.
The field of love is verdant with hue;
My heart wanders for nothing, but you!
Give me the love that leads the way
And the kiss that heals the pierced heart
The faith that nothing can dismay
Lest I sink to be a clod.
Stretch your loving hand to me my love
The hand which comforts beyond measure
In the midst of adversity
You shall forever be my treasure.
Come to me my love.
And feel me all as my heart trembles for your love
Out of my loneliness
Heal me and hold me closer to thee.
Loneliness becomes an unbearable sickness
Every second your absence is felt
Storms trouble my sailing heart
In every flash of our last romance.
Never will the world ever be sweet
If not with you reposing on my laps
In you alone
I found meaningless of life without a woman.
You are my all and true love
Both far and near
For in you, I felt what Nnewi's progenitor felt for Nnobi damsel
That made him start a religion deifying her
Your love tastes like abacha
And Nwoke Udi special palm-wine
joined together
My love my all
Ị sọgbuo m!!!
The smile on your face is sun
The only thing that stands when everything becomes dark.
Your smile is a map directing men of goodwill
I will camp you in my heart forever.
For you are my salt
That flavors the taste of my love.
And you are my light,
That brightens my darkest plights.
For God's love to all,
He gave His only Son.
But for His love for me,
He gave a precious gift of you
my heart's key.
You pick the lock
Oh! You do it all over again
My heart, creaking, opening its arms to you
You, gliding in with a fragrance of warmth.
Your visits leave me nimble
Your sweet perfume arouses my soul
And when you sway, that liquefied sublime motion
My brain falls into oblivion.
Deeper in your veins my love flows
Beckoning you closer to my sinews
Peak me to the point my love temper swells
For in you all trust I my all
Your love and touch are sensational
They give this feeling of nostalgia
And make me feel like an infant
Please let me be your boo just for a day or two.
Thy love is better than wine
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels
As the lilly among thorns
So is my love for you!
As the apple tree among trees,
So are you before me always.
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet,
Onitemi! kiss me, with the kisses of your mouth.
Clothe my heart with your love,
For its own love is dead.
Toss off one bit of it,
And the garden would be finer than Eden.
Hold my lips, let's make it last,
Now I am seconds closer to you.
Let it be a thing they could jot down,
Knowing well how much we love each other.
Youare my love my all,
On this beautiful island of scented glory, surrounded by the emerald sea
Under the blue sky and crescent moon of passion
And blessed with the sweet serenade of nightingales.
I crave to dwell in the freshness of your presence
Which is as pure as a lily;
As rare as a blue rose
And as lovely as venus.
I only desire company of you
To better express the freedom
Found in our affection
For you are my all.
In sincere confession of this,
I beseech God to marry us
In timeless matrimony of divine and infinite love
Beneath the twilight of cupid's divinest dreams.
My love you’re my all
My forever Valentine
My giant for eternity you make me feel secure even when all around me is chaos!
Your imperfections are nature's reward to me.
They define your humanity,
In that man who is perfect lies all the deceit in the world.
My love you’re my all
While we fold and drink from each others' lips
And as moon lends a scenting aroma to our eyes
At this love station, countless for the trip,
Then I hear a voice pouring from the skies:
"This liquid love will soon solidify
Only take your sleep gently and watch tears dry
For I shall be coming by,
Yes, I."
How can I make you see what I feel
When love is blind?
When I push hard
You might think love is wicked
Here you are staring at me
The only thing I want is to deep my lips into yours
And our love will be unbreakable
Don't call it magic, it's a miracle!
With you, it's like honey and bread
Sweet to the body and blessing to the soul
My love, with you I know we will reach for the stars and even beyond
With you, I have no cause to look elsewhere, cause I am at rest.
With you, I feel complete
You make me see the beauty in my imperfections
Your love gives me room to live and truly live
With you, I am a giant with great strides.
Give me your love, and I will give you my all
Kill me with love, and resurrect me with love
For it's a season of love
Oh! Valentine is here again.
Contributors:
Izunna Okafor
Nket Godwin
Odinaka Nworie
Innocent Chikodiri Paul
Nwokeabia, Ifeanyi John
O'star Eze
John Chizoba Vincent
Stanley Ezechukwu
Rosemary Nwadike
Dishon Obok
Gloria Oluchi John
Kayode Awojobi
Chidiebere Ezekwesili
Marcel Ike Okonkwo
Dayo Ayila
Maureen Onyinye KennethUdo Okoronkwo-chukwu
Michael David Ogbonnaya.
Compiled and Edited by Izunna Okafor
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