Across the Bridge Poems of a Migrant

ACROSS THE BRIDGE ( Poems of a Migrant ) By ODE CLEMENT IGONI Copyright © 2020 CALM STORM Publishing

This chapbook is dedicated to migrants all over the world

WILDEST IMAGINATION Before the invent of cars and flying carriers My mind has walked on this earth's surface In my wildest imagination I never saw this A time when I go on to sleep through the day. I look left, look right, there is nothing in sight I look to heaven faraway as I pray for a way If only I can get into thin air and fly to a place Looking to find a better reflection of my face Mixed up thoughts, where do I go from here The feeling of happiness intoxicate from beer Buzzing in my head, thinking of life elsewhere My weight so light I have to face my real fear. Wet eyes each morning I wake to look afar The blue skies shining so green in my mind Elongated journey time to reach destination Complex movement around this peripheral In my wildest imagination I see a new world A shinning blue ball from where it all comes

A view showing me direction life is to take A fight between the real and what is fake On this side I feel lost, anguish and pain Clean heart unknowingly covered by stain Imagination showing the source of my fate. On the other side I see a bright shining light Could this be real? I stretch my arm to feel In this paranormal I search for a way to heal As my spirit lifts, going into another realm. I wake up and can't feel the ground I tread Struggling every day to buy some bread Going back to a time of scare and fear I encounter an unknown image that dare Where do they all come from, I don't care. I feel a kick that brings me back to reality When I get hungry and with empty pocket.

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS On empty stomach I get sleepless nights in This place, I keep search for my light to shine In the dark of the night I see the stars bright. The ground I stand on doesn't grow my vine Sleepless nights I've had thinking what's next Dreaming of winning this race as the best Continual oppression of the poor by the rich Walking through years, I rest at the beach. Where do I go from here to get my right? Was placed on earth to work and find a bride With no penny I wish to go far on this ride I've got no energy, I work hard to avoid fight. Still I'm left with nothing, leaders don't care A future not insured, I know they don't care I'm Awake thinking what my hand can do High tuition fee, can't go to the best school I can only go where my legs take me to.

Finding a place to rest my body from walk Life getting more difficult, I work to achieve Staying up at night to see my vision lead When an economy fall reaches what to eat Does it get any better than fight and killing To survive, the only way in a place drowning. Sleepless nights going through chilling cold To seek the face of my ancestors, all so bold They all don't know where the journey goes I was blessed one night and received a Rose. Stone as pillow I dream so hard like concrete The days getting cold my feet needs warmth Shivering I find a way to survive in the dark Looking to days when there shall be no lack. On sleepless nights I stay awake wiping tears When will the pains leave? I really can't tell.

DREAMS I close my eyes and make a beautiful world A place of no fighting, I don't need a sword I feel happy as I bask in love and abundance Good things around, I can feel its resonance Running, jumping, flying, all in good times Me and her all alone having a good smile. All I've ever wanted, I can get in my dream Even when dropped in the ocean I just swim No pains, foe or hate, it's all love and green In a world where I can get all what I need I do whatever I want and I'll never bleed. I stress less as I go on to enjoy my pace Fresh dreams I receive, no copy and paste I close my eyes to originality, no two face Wish to spend my whole time in this place. In my dreams I see where the future leads I'm keen and follow to where it'll lead me Going to a time where I make seven kids We all having fun, me, her and all of them.

I wake up and realize all I've got is nothing I look down and up, I pray to get something No matter how little, I appreciate all things Surfing and gliding through years of looking Working to convert all my dreams to reality.

DARK DAYS Ghosts of my past standing before my eyes They all are here to tell me some more lies Saying I can't go further anymore in this life In the dark I continually battle my worst fear. Dark days upon me as I struggle to find food Others who have received light go on to loot Putting my future inside their trunk locked up Driving away taking me to a time of suffering When I only feed from the economy's trickle, To fancy hallucinations as I find a way out Of days when all the lights on are taken out. Fears of ending the year run with nothing Chasing away spirits that tries to stop me Pulling me back holding me to nothing Roaming around same spot, no northing How do I find my way out of very dark days No beam of light, I can't even feel my face A reflection of me I'll never want to keep

I go to the river, find peace and some sip Drinking down lots of worries and a piss Understanding the race is for whom fit As everyone struggles to find some light.

HUNGER The feeling of wanting to be filled up In an empty space, I try not to give up Each step taken brings out emptiness In the midst of it I fight off loneliness Spirits of the old come fill in my soul Bring to me nutrients of what's untold With empty stomach I pursue my goal To see final images as life itself unfold My hunger drives me to work till infinity Dipping my hands I find what to feed on Searching for sustenance in this vicinity A bright picture in my mind leads me on Deep hunger in my innermost thoughts Wanting to be filled as the images comes.

STRUGGLES In a place where I wish for good to come by Day and night all what I see are passersby They all are so struggling to make it ahead I've got no strength to walk, I lay my bed And rest my head from talk and of hustle, To make it out of stagnation takes bustle. In life does struggles ever come to an end? I follow a path, unknowingly the road bend Going around in circles this economy tend To a time it lend pains as I find my way out Of the struggles, ups and down that girths Me for so long since the time of my rebirth. I see many struggle and many crying blood A little rainfall and the river begins to flood Oceans of penury that surrounds the heart Flying around blind in the dark like the bat Looking for headway out the time of hard Whole lot of bitterness in this world I find Too many living beings in poverty are bind.

Each day I wake and go out for daily struggle I pray to make it back home with something It's not an easy task, too many confronting As I wish to grow up so big like a mountain. When do I arrive my very place of having it all When will my currency amount make me tall When will my struggles write off years of poor When will my Supreme God answer all my call In this world I've come I know I'll go someday After years of struggles it all goes to the dust.

BEAM OF LIGHT Going deeper into a dark world I search For a beam of light to come cause a reset Changing my thoughts directing my ways Years to come this light still do not come My little desires I keep, all is being burnt Living my life in a place it will never count When other colors are right the dark is left Behind to work out success in tough space. Good beam of light I wish to strike my heart Where does my feet go to find its right path Drowning in an oasis still no one cares about But I see a lot of persons at this roundabout Scratching the surface of evil to find good Searching for that one light to change me Guiding me through years of lack and none Same light that gives strength to a real nun All I wish for, a time my life reaches climax.

A beam of light to brighten this dark room To give me sight and also give me a broom To sweep away many thoughts of hindrance Beam of light taking me out of the wilderness. With open heart I humbly wait for the light Taking me further to a time things are bright.

MY JOURNEY From when I was planted as seed until now A journey I do not know to where it may lead Picking knowledge as bonus, I take a swing To what my mind envision and my hand make To where I can reach and what I can keep Tilling the ground I find a place to plant seed Digging through nights burying understanding Up in the clouds they go thereafter resonate My feet to record my walking through time Landing on soft grounds other times hard My blood, it shows me times are always red What I dread is for it to fly away unprofitable I keep pushing, walking to where I don't know All I pray for is a peaceful place so I can sow A place where soil allow for things to grow My journey taking me through toughest time Most nights I go speechless and just mime To the pains from hunger my stomach cry

My brain gets hot like a pan ready to fry I stay woke waiting for the next daylight This same journey taking me to my destiny Through hurt and pains then what's the gain The clock doesn't tick backward, it's all vain I keep going to when enjoyment wins the day When the joys, tears and hurt brings the pay.

ACROSS THE BRIDGE Within a thin line is a bridge to cross From a time of zero to creating riches From a place value is worth much less To a mind where leaves turn green again At night I see the stars I wish to ride one So as to shine and make the world so lit The moon come and go yes the sun shines With brighter beam of light across the bridge As I look back to struggles I had come from Projecting to which path my destination go A place where words go and touch the mind To reveal the true inner reflections of man One sudden day heaven answers my prayer A star comes to me and take me on a ride As I get into a bird that fly high in the sky Taking me so far to my dream destination

Across the bridge the mountains are high The grasses grow tall and leaves are broad The rain falling from the sky are like stones I feel anguish from cold deep in my bones A different world I find myself to live anew I'm lost deep in a maze to work my way out.

UNFORESEEN ACCIDENT In an unknown place I remain peaceful With thoughts that life will only get better Attitudes approaching me so distasteful My activities is to go high up the ladder Lots of hours I spend in search for a job I can't find one here so I end up in a pub Drinking and watching those on Forbes I feel left behind along this my course I try hard to regain my feet, things go sour I take one bold step but falling to the floor Crashing my head needing the finest doctor To come save me and restore my thoughts An unforeseen accident changing my route I pray not to fall from high crashing my head.

ARRIVAL I find myself in a place with things foreign A big difference in ways of life and thinking I feel so alien but with a dream and inking Freedom is here to stay for a long reign To know the terrain and to where river flow To find a place where my inspiration grow Living with nature and in tune to my voice To see my seeds grow up so big I rejoice On arrival I think life to be easy on this side I go to the beach, I feel the hit from its wave The rising and falling at night of its water tide The ups and downs I see makes me go brave I remain fervent and toiling a way forward Like a doctor I heal myself with my words.

HOMELESS Out in the rain let it shower me blessings As I search to put a roof over my head Housing getting expensive how do I pay Work and walking where do I finally lay To rest vibrations singing up in my head Difficult days I face, on stormy waves I sail On empty stomach I go in search of my bail Like a snail these days creep into the night On this journey all my dreams I wish to keep I need a place to rest my thoughts and sleep.

IS THIS LOVE When all I see is segregation In the midst of congregation Is this love?

IS THIS HATE When I enter a place Everyone goes silent Is this hate?

RACISM When I'm being kept on the floor lifeless My breathe taken by he that protects me With the light in me I'm still called black Being singled from the rest of the pack Not minding the first, called second class Even if I'm the best I fight to gain my glory Away from the rest I go to think of my way.

AM I WRONG Going across the bridge In search for the unknown Am I wrong in doing so?

ALL I WANTED To make my pastures grow greener Leaving my past world for a new one All I wanted was a butter for my bread And also a crown to put over my head Dreams, wishes and prayers all said As I embarked from where I was bred Going to a foreign place of my dream All I wanted was to form the best team How do I get what I've risked my life for Where do I go from here and meet who I patiently wait for climax after foreplay When my hard work will bring forth profit All I wanted was my pocket to be filled I gaze as the heaven and earth do meet.

HARDWORK Blood ink flowing from me Little seeds growing big Working a better future

ALL I CAN GET All I can get is a smile on my face Great love deep inside my heart And a spirit saying “keep pushing on”

THE REST TO COME The rest to come For me to overcome As I search for more



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