THRENODY: "FAREWELL, PROFESSOR OF BENEVOLENCE" BY PROFESSOR TIMEHIN S. OLUROTIMI

Language wears black;

Big brother...

as I fondly called you...

My diction is in a garb of darkness

Words,

once eager on your lips,

now stumble...

searching for a syntax of sorrow.

Professor Harrison

Humane linguist…

Interpreter of souls…

Bridge builder between tongues, tribes, and trembling hearts

I share with you your middle name...

Rotimi...God stands by me;

In truth you stood by me - as you stood by all

How do we pronounce your absence?

How do we conjugate grief?

Which tense contains a man...

whose influence outlives his breath?

You taught us

that language is not just sound - 

it is connection.

That every word is a bridge...

and every bridge a promise

that no soul should stand alone

on the island of silence

You crossed rivers of difference..

laid planks of patience..

Nailed them with kindness, and invited us:

“Come… speak… understand… belong.”

O benevolent heart!

You did not hoard knowledge... you showered it!

Like rain, 

upon thirsty youth,

like light into wandering minds

You saw futures

where others saw failures.

You called diamonds what the world dismissed as dust

And today - 

those diamonds weep.

The classrooms are quiet

The corridor echoes your name...

Your chair… still.

But your voice...

Ah! your voice lives on

in every student who dares to speak...

in every scholar who dares to think...

in every bridge that dares to stand.

Professor Harrison Rotimi Adeniyi!

Builder of meaning!

Lover of youth!

Healer of divisions!

You have edited your final manuscript..

Submitted your last thesis,

Defended it before eternity 

... and Heaven has stamped:

APPROVED!

So sleep, noble teacher

Rest, gentle soul

For though earth writes your epitaph in stone

Heaven writes your name in living words.

Language mourns…

But your legacy speaks

Adieu, big brother. 

© PROFESSORTIMEHIN SAHEED OLUROTIMI

-Nigeria

This poem is a heartfelt tribute to Professor Harrison Rotimi Adeniyi, a beloved educator and linguist. It explores themes of loss, legacy, and the power of language to connect people. The speaker mourns the professor's passing, struggling to find words, but ultimately celebrates his impact on students and the world. Vivid imagery and metaphors, like "Language wears black" and "You called diamonds what the world dismissed as dust," highlight the professor's role as a bridge builder and mentor. The poem's structure, with its mix of short and long lines, creates a sense of pauses, allowing reflection on the words. Ultimately, the poem affirms the professor's legacy lives on through his students and teachings, with "Heaven writes your name in living words."