PANEGYRIC: "OWONIKOKO: I WANT TO TAKE A STROLL" BY AJAKAYE STRIDA

His morning begins with The Lord,

and a cup of nescafe springing his throat

like old men also economize resting.

When Efon-Alaaye is pardoned electrical power,

he switches smartly his water pumping machine,

and I see not even a cup to be filled.

So he says, "I put it on for villagers,

I have fetched mine by midnight."

This one touches me like sun on daises,

don't old men sleep when the moon is full?

Newspapers and Bible are his confidants

from 8:30am till 2:30pm,

leaking all his experiences to his diary,

is a role he performs in minutes.

His filled diary books could make a library.

Picking his room's broom to erase your feet,

after anyone visits to offer him pleasantries,

your feet is neat or dirty, still...he sweeps.

And I adored him extraordinarily dearly,

watching my old man like thou is a crawling baby,

admiring him crossing his sparkling legs in short cream knickers.

His independence positively strikes me thus deeply,

that I have to disobey him

before cleaning his reading table,

"You are quiet monotonous in cleaning Rash,

I was about to..."

Then he dives into his healthily old white coat,

and opens his brown iron door.

Where is he going this evening at 89?

"Oh...stop sneaking on my freedom,

I want to take a stroll."

This is me in the consuming pool of poetry,

sincerely strolling some marble memories

of my maternal grandfather,

HATZIS ABEL OLUYEMI OWONIKOKO

© RASHIDAT OLAMIDAYO AJAKAYE

STRIDA- ... guiding you to striking confidence in academic and creative writing!

2023

The poet persona portrays the amazingly youthful and peaceful lifestyle that her maternal grandmother lives.