Category: Life

August, Emotion, Life, Love, Months, Poem

My Witness

I. Ogunbase

I make my vow to you,
under the sun and the skies,
the moon and the stars,
to be your forever witness.

Just like you are mine.

I say these words to you,
in front of friends and family,
well-wishers and passer-by’s,
as an affirmation of my love for you.

Just like your love for me.

You are…
the most significant person I know,
my favourite celebrity,
the smartest,
the kindest,
the loveliest person,
who looked at me and chose me
despite my faults and shortcomings,
my sins and my ills…

You looked at me.
As I looked at you.

You told me you love me
And my love for you overflowed.

You are my everything
You are my beloved.
You are my life

And I am yours.

Emotion, Life, Prose, Thoughts, writing

Chocolates

I. Ogunbase

“Life is like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you’re going to get.“
– Forrest Gump, 1994

I used to think I liked all chocolates, then I grew up and got to test and taste out different versions of chocolates to start to develop some sort of taste preference. You know, sorting out the dark chocolates from the really dark chocolates. The difference between, say, one of Cadbury’s products and a trusted Ferrero Rocher.

And eventually, life stopped being like a box of random chocolates, but more of a chase to find the right box of chocolates to make things sweet. Like finding a needle in a bunch of haystacks.

Some of the boxes start off sweet, and then the more you eat through the box, the more the bitterness begins to fill your senses and you struggle to even remember the sweet beginnings.

Others begin bitter but you read the box labels and you know that there’s a sweet chocolate somewhere in it. You just don’t know when you’re going to get it. So, you eat through the box of bitter after bitter bites, holding on to that phantom hope that you stumble on the sweet bit, even if its just one bite.

Then, you have the boxes that are truly random. The rollercoaster box of bitter and sweet, sour and sugary. Every bite is a different experience, an emotional ride of whatever it is Life can throw at you. On some days, its just pure sweetness from the morning to night. And then on other days, its a straight week of bitterness. I mean, the bitterness varies and some days are better than the next but the taste stays consistent.

Life is like a box of chocolates. And I’m currently eating through one.

And it has been an experience.

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Life, writing

August Rising

I. Ogunbase

You know… I started this year with the thought that I’d blog a lot more consistently than I did last year and after February, it’s almost like I forgot.

I mean, I didn’t but I might as well have, no?

In any case, we are past the halfway point of this year and to be honest, it’s been a better year than most even if it could be a lot better.

Life has been busy.

My mind has been occupied.

But I’m grateful that I can still wake up in the morning and at the very least, smile that my world is not falling apart.

THE CATCH UP

To start off with, “Beta: The Hierarchy, Book 2” is complete and currently being edited and reworked to fix some problems and add some dynamics I missed on my first write-through.

Like Book 1, this will be self published as well. I will be making a post about the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) closer to when it’s ready for release.

I am hoping for end of September but I haven’t settled on a date yet. But it hopefully will be soon.

THE OTHER

The other book needs to be edited as well and prepped. It is my hope to publish that one through the traditional route but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about it.

I was advised to just self publish whilst querying for a publisher and I might still do that but I feel like I want to test out the traditional route even if it’s just this once.

Hopefully, that will also end well.

THE LAST

For those of you who enjoy my occasional poetry, I’m sorry that I haven’t woven anything into the tapestry that is the poetry section of my website.

To be honest, I’ve had a lot of material to work with but the emotions have been too current(?) to digest into words and rhyme.

But seeing as I’m here, I plan to return back to it. I miss it and it did help to unburden myself from emotions that weren’t worth carrying anymore.

All in all, I’m back.

And I hope to stay for longer this time around.

Blog, Life, Prose, Thoughts, thoughts, writing

One Month Down, 11 More to Experience

I. Ogunbase

January is over.

We are now in the lover’s month. The month of Romance, in the depth and breadth of the word. In any case, the year is moving fast and we have to move in turn to not be left behind. Because what is life, if not constant change?

In any case, February is here. We are in our second month, and I feel like this is when most start to feel like the year is progressing and their plans are not panning out like they said they would at the beginning of the year in their numerous resolutions. And it is something I think about. Something I feel.

Because what is life, if not constant change?

This… idea that if things aren’t done in time, we are automatically behind and at risk of it never being done ever again. A mental block that most people will stumble on because we can’t help it.

For most, we cower in our fear and our supposed loss. We drink in our failures and spiral as our minds start to play the familiar record of “What’s the point?”. We watch as our peers march forward in confidence and we can only hope to become like them because we don’t think we are good enough anymore.

We forget that Life isn’t a race. And that there really is no worth in comparing our paths with someone else. And that, plans change and all we can do is change with it. That we must remain flexible to deal with the dynamic nature of Life.

It’s so very easy to say, much more harder to internalise and believe. But it is something we must do, so that we can take the next steps towards the journey we are all individually on.

To just take one more step forward, regardless of how things are.

That right there… That’s bravery.

TO MORE INTERESTING THINGS…

I say interesting, but it really isn’t.

I spoke about “Beta: The Hierarchy, Book 2” and my plans to get it out sometime this month and that is still on track. As usual, this will be self-published as well as I think I want to continue releasing this series like this for a bit longer.

I’m about 26 chapters in, with 4 more in the bag to write out, after which we start the rounds of edit and fine-tuning that I believe the book needs as I’ve seen a few things that need looking over, adding and all that ‘authorism’ (this is not a word) stuff. I do hope to finish writing this weekend, so that I can start putting things in place, but that is Future me’s problem.

All in all, the plan is slightly behind my personal targets but I’m going to push on to ensure I get it out so that I can prepare the next book on my list that I want released this year.

As usual, I hope your day and your year has been going well so far. Sound off in the comments if you want to catch up with me 😀

Descriptive, Fiction, Life, PenPractice, Prose, Stories, Uncategorized, writing

One Of Those Rare Thursday Posts…

I. Ogunbase

It’s been a long time since I’ve had to write something other than a story or the occasional tweet but this has been coming nonetheless. I remember the times when I used to get ready to blog or muse about something profound but those days are few and far between… With the state of the world and life and cost of living and all that.

In any case, I’m back now. I’m here.

That said… Is there a reason why I’m posting today after such a long period of silence? Yes. Marketing.

You see… There was an idea to bring together a group of of remarkable people to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to write the stories that we never could.

A couple of some writing folks I know created a publishing press and with that publishing press, they began something of an event that I have come to really love over the three years(?) that it has been run. And, believe me when I say its a lovely event.

Allow me to introduce you all to “The Inkfort Publishing Press’, Derby 2023”

Click the link to see more about the Derby

So, what is this all about?
In essence, this is an annual event hosted by Inkfort where authors are challenged to hone their skills, practice their marketing, get some feedback, and maybe even earn a bit of money for their efforts.

Derby Authors get a random cover, with an illustrious anonymous pen name and then we’re given a set of time to write a story based on the cover, edit, publish and market to see how well we do. And now that the books are published (well, most of them), I’m hear to share them with you.

I took part as well, under a interesting name and with an interesting premise and I wrote a book on an interesting thing. I’d really be interested to see if anyone can figure out who I am.

All in all, the books are out on Amazon and some other sites, if you’re interested. But most importantly, you can check out the list of the books here on Goodreads

2023 Publishing Derby

Does this mean I’m back to the random story and poetry slam I’m used to? Maybe… But let’s take it slow for a while longer. I promise to return in full.

Have a nice day and hopefully, a lovely weekend!

Anxiety, Coping System, Descriptive, Emotion, Late Night, Life, Pain, PenPractice, Poem, Shorts, Sleepy time, Thoughts, thoughts, writing

Responsible.

I. Ogunbase

Responsibility is light.
Responsibility is heavy.

Responsibility is as light as a feather,
The spring in your step propelling you further till you fly,
It becomes the wings on your back,
Lifting you past the clouds till you’re up on high…
It is the cool shades you wear when you step into a function,
It draws the eyes of admiration on you.
For you,
It blots out the stars till you’re the only star shining.
The brightness lighting up the dark sky so intensely,
It only made sense for everyone else to shield their eyes.

Responsibility is the twinkle in your eye.
The confidence in your actions that make everyone want to stand behind you.
The winning smile that lets you past the doors that once kept you.
It is the strength you never knew you had or wanted,
Equipped to lift the burden of others.
It is the hope of tomorrow,
The sunrise on another day.
The assurance that you are in a better place than you once were.

It is freedom.

And it makes you cry.

Tears of joy, yes,
But not without merit.

After all those years of waiting, you’ve finally gotten here,
And it is everything you’ve wanted.

—

Responsibility is heavy.

It drags you off the edge of a cliff,
And lets you hit the waters with no mask.
So you gasp for air but the lack thereof doesn’t kill you.
You just suspend in viscous space,
As the liquid sears your lungs and makes you cry out for relief.

It is the bags beneath your eyes because you haven’t been sleeping.
How can you?
When it is knocking on your walls,
Questioning every decision you’ve made and
berating you for the ones you didn’t make.
So it renames you as “Negligent”

“You thought you had the right stuff but you don’t” It says.

Responsibility is a duty.

It commands. Never requests.
It punishes when you fail to reach the criteria it sets before you,
Even if the rule-book to your actions have been hidden from you.
It demands the entirety of your being,
Gifting you a burden that you can’t give to anyone else.

It gives you the option to ignore it,
Of which it incrues an interesting amount of interest on it.
So that when you return,
You will find your responsibility ripe with profits that you really don’t want.

Responsibility is not kind.
It is not cruel nor is it wicked.
It doesn’t love you and won’t give itself to hate.

It simple requires your best “you”.

And sometimes, that’s not enough.

Anxiety, Coping System, Descriptive, Emotion, Late Night, Life, Love, Pain, PenPractice, Poem, Prose, Shorts, Sleepy time, thoughts, Uncategorized, writing

Sleepless

I. Ogunbase

The room is cold. Harsh. Unforgiving.

But it’s safe here.

It’s home here.

Everything freezes in here. Left to hang in the air like unsaid words and unresolved emotions. It’s much better in the long run.

It’s better than the fires outside that are licking the frame of the door, begging that I open up so that they can engulf me in their responsibility.

In their warmth. In their potential for great things spanning countries and changing lives around the globe.

Their fire for making everyone around happy and content that I’m not a popsicle like the rest of them, but the rest of them are here and I can tell they are cool.

But this is better. Much better than playing with a natural energy source and watching it consume me. Why would I risk being burnt alive? What’s the endgame there?

Success or cremation? And they think I would risk it all for that?

So yeah, this is fine.

This is fine.

I agree my fingers might be numbing off from inactivity and the general lack of engagement for it’s better this way.

It means I won’t be able to carry anything after a while.

That said…

It is very cold…

Descriptive, Emotion, IG Prompts, Life, Love, Pain, PenPractice, Poem, Thoughts, writing

IG Prompt: We Are Who We Are

I. Ogunbase

We are who we are

We are the children of the Earth,
the pride of the Motherland,
the beautiful melanated hue of human origin,
the inhabitants of the spectrum between light and dark tones,
comforted at the truth that at our core,
we know who we are…

We are the men seen as lesser men,
by lesser men who had gotten it in their heads,
that we were lesser than them.
So they tied, beat and tortured us,
moved us over the sea in an effort to own us,
and if they couldn’t cull us,
would relegate us to Poseidon’s waters
where we would watch the surface drift farther away,
as our shackles dragged us to the bottom.

And even then,
amongst the creatures at the depths of the world,
they still couldn’t break us.

We are the 5am Nurturers and Gatherers,
toiling through the field for produce
just so that we can feed our young and ensure they see a better tomorrow,
because today just feels a little harder than it should.
We watered the earth with our tears,
and reaped our sown seeds with sweat and death,
even as they tried to break us,
but they only succeeded in making us stronger.

We are the families with one less member in the family.
So Mummy’s out there working two jobs and a late shift,
just to keep a warm bed to cuddle into at night.
Because Daddy’s not coming.
Because Daddy went shopping with Uncle Timmy for some flour.
but Uncle Timmy can still walk the streets,
while Daddy’s under a strict curfew and stricter visiting hours.

We are the marchers and the protesters,
clicking our fingers to the mental replay of Martin’s speech,
so we light the metaphorical candle in our hands,
as we sway from side to side,
humming a consistent song,
“Free at last”, or so it would have gone,
as we realise that they still haven’t managed to break us.

So they switched formation.

Drycleaned the white robes, got into politics.
Burnt all their crosses, and made laws instead.
Decade long feature movies of their hit novel
“How to Oppress from behind the Curtain”
Made strides at conversation with us,
out of the mouth of a metal barrel.
They wanted compliance,
with a medical dose of a bullet per prescription

And yet,

We are still who we are.

We are the entreprenuers of a new age,
with new dreams that have no shackles on.
We are the executives and the cooks, the businessmen and women,
the lawyers, engineers and high school student with 83 college acceptances

We are the trendsetters, the music moguls,
the ” Who Run The World” ladies with unstoppable energy

We are excellence itself.

We are the Kings and Queens of civilisation,
the rulers of ancient lands over the waters,
descendants of the birthplace of life itself.

We are the mothers and fathers,
brothers, sisters and uncles,
that stand side by side with those we call our own.

We are black.

We are proud.