Fall 2008, Volume 5

Poetry by Atureta Adeiza

Blind Quest

If I could see beyond the world in my eyes
to the one that bleeds with hate, corruption, lust and fraud
If I could find for myself, the rugged pines of Africa, the cedars of Lebanon
and oaks of Canada
If only I could view the earth from a distance, to the falls,
the birds, the creepers, her voices in man and woman
If I can only find grace in forgiveness, the purity of colours
and the temporal beauty of perversion
If I could learn from my own eyes, the guilt of dishonesty,
the filth of lasciviousness and national debts.
If I could see the birth of democracy, feel the voice of honesty,
hear an end to strife and tribal wars
If only I could see past this picture of scorn, rape of mind,
body and raging soul
If only I could see through the sorrows, this scrape of earth,
culture and sudden religion
If I could feel the purpose of this unity, mediocrity or reason
for our unity in diversity
If I could bear the brunt for our transgressions as one free-state,
embezzle your funds and rights like my fathers before
If only I can reach for the stars I do not see, or swim past the
cardinals of earth's pacific
If only I had one mind to bare, one body to flaunt, one soul
and one vision to preach
If I could berth at heaven's shores, curse at the devil, bathe in milk,
reap much more than even
If only I could please and be pleased with: in heaven and earth,
in peace and total mind
Ever wanted much more than you could ever have? This is a blind man's war.


BIO:  "I am Atureta Adeiza, 27, an African (of the western subregion). I am of Nigerian descent. I live in the capital city of Abuja, where it's quite hot in most part of the year. I studied mass communications in the 'largest citadel of learning, south of the Sahara and North of the Limpopo.' I'm talking of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. I write poetry pretty well with quite a collection to show at any given period in time. I started this in 1996. I was quite young then. I love listening to music, poetry in performance, watching films, especially war and the historical kinds, plus westerns."