Hey, listen...
In the history books of black women
where uncommon boldness,
that out-of-this-world DARE TO BE DIFFERENT sagacity lives,
There was
-The Dahomey Amazons
There was
Resilient in the fiery bones of
-The unyielding Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti
-The Unbroken Sojourner Truth
-The rising Maya Angelou
-The Magnificient Miriam Makeba
- The Fearless Yaa Asantewa
-Relentless Dora Akunyili
Yes, Yes..
There is the
Amiable Malala Yousafzai
Undaunted Joyce Banda
Impeccable Folashade Ogunsola
The driven Ellen Johnson
The wise Folake Solanke
The “never backing down” Kemi Bakare
The unbeaten Donna Ogunnaike
The tireless Aisha Yesufu
The roaring Wangari Maatthai
And now, there is you
A wild promising,
A fast-rising maverick wonder,
generation of warriors rising from her shoulders...
You
...Okeleye Damilola Dorcas...
Yes...
Look at me,
Look to see if you can decipher what this seer sees
See,
someone said if what you live all your life for isn't worth dying for.
Then, it isn't worth living for.
Ask yourself to ask yourself, what are you living for?
Damilola
You - Glittering like stars in the heart of the sky
Be bold, blast through your fears like a shining star
Tear yourself into particles of your dreams;
Burst forth like gas caged in cylinders
Break age-long barriers
Walk your name into immortality
Do not die before you leave
Do not leave until you have lived
Yes
Mark Lawrence chanted everybody dies but not everybody lives
But you must live, like legends do
Clasping In your hands the time of many kings
Oba mewa Igba Mewa
Seriki ngoma, samani goma
Remember
Oruko rere san ju opolopo wura ati fadaka lo
Like never before, be your own fan
When you fall a hundred times
Rise a hundred and one
Unleash!
Shoot your dreams with triggers of incurable optimism
Do not retreat
Do not relapse
Burn the midnight oil
Fan the flames!
Fan the flames!
Fan the flames!
Hold faith on your fists
Let rain fall, as you punch your way through a thunder strike
Fear not, stand firm, the adversities of today
makes tomorrow a brighter rewarding adventure...
makes tomorrow a sweeter wine
Remember
Before a seed becomes a forest, It starts with a leaf.
Congratulations!
©BankHALL
Edited by: Adetimehin Victor Inioluwa (Vic'Adex)
26.03.2023
Note
"Oba" isa Yoruba language word for "King"
Oba mewa, igba mewa literally means Ten Kings, Ten seasons...
Seriki Ngoma, samani Ngoma (Hausa words): same meaning as above
"Oruko rere San ju opolopo wura ati fadaka lo (Good name/reputation is greater than many gold and silver)
........This piece was a token gift to OKELEYE OLUWADAMILOLA DORCAS, for emerging Winner; BankHALL Media Maiden Online Yoruba to English Poetry Translation Prompt 2023.
TO GET A MUSICAL AUDIO VERSION OF THIS PIECE, REACH BANKHALL MEDIA VIA WHATSAPP ON +2348127745061 OR +2348035138888
