DESPISE NOT THE LITTLE

Despise not the little
for life's greatest gifts come
packaged as riddles.

There's an ocean trapped in an egg and
a planet imprisoned in a keg.

I've seen rainclouds wrapped in blankets
and
auroras for sale in the black market.

That rag clothed beggar is richer than Bill Gates.
Forget the fact that
he begs for alms at your gate.

Fact is stranger than fiction
in a time of doubts and transition.

The Bigger
isn't necessarily the better.

Nanotech rocks better than alchemy in Wycliffe’s age.
Bullets cure nothing; we know they only fuel the rage.

We sold our souls
in our quest for gain.
We stole thunder
and lost the rain.

Now we're stuck with a fallout
afflicting us with persistent blackouts.

Earth’s devastation extends from atmosphere to magma.
Everyone blames the disaster on werewolves and karma.

The Western world is colonized by rabies;
and Africa’s latest franchise comes from beyond Hades.

Doolittle isn't small in terms of potential;
The qualifications of his critics are inconsequential.

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

I'm often amazed by the seemingly fragile things that are actually so strong. It's not the same comparison but a relatable one. A dragonfly has some of the thinnest wings of any creature but it can traverse entire oceans in flight. A flower will push its way through solid concrete just to touch the sun, etc. In this piece you offer us a glimpse of the smaller and lesser in comparison to the greater and how outward appearances may be deceiving. And some of us social outcasts like it that way because we just don't have time for the superficial world based on greed and monetary gain. I don't condemn money or the having of it but the lusting after power, fame and fortune is the root of all sorts of evils. I enjoyed the read. F.

[Akinlolu]

It's nice to meet people who seem to see with one's eyes and hear with one's ears. It's all about perspective. I do like yours. Life is full of beautiful things but they turn ugly when lust enters the picture. Thank you for this beautiful review.

[FGFRANKLIN]

My pleasure, I can see your beautiful heart in your poetry. The content of one's character is often revealed in their art. Blessings of peace, love and light, F.

[Akinlolu]

Oh, thank you

[Betty Hermelee]

A beautiful comment on big vs. little.... and the consequences of this....big isn't necessarily better....the rich have been partially responsible for the condition of our planet today....with indiscriminate wast that could almost fill an ocean....The WEST had ignored Africa for decades and left it battered....
Best, B

[Akinlolu]

This is a very accurate observation. What really breaks my heart is how the richest Africans loot the continent, embezzle its billions and run abroad to enjoy their ill-gotten wealth. Because of this great unending cycle of greed and wickedness, my nation is now plagued with a new generation of youths who depend entirely on online fraud as their primary source of income. They don't believe that hard work pays. Their opinion is that only fools work so hard to earn so little. Thank you B.
Akinlolu

[MomzillaNC]

Wow! "Bullets cure nothing; we know they only fuel the rage."

Love this stanza:
We sold our souls
in our quest for gain.
We stole thunder
and lost the rain.

[Akinlolu]

What is thunder? It's just noise. Let's focus on the rain. Cheers.
Akinlolu

[carl]

your piece here has a continual flow that is not often found in such metaphorical work. Congrats on surrounding your reader with such a lyrical environment. Having bee said before "Fact is stranger than fiction" the context in which you have placed it " a time of doubts and transition " makes it fresh and pertinent. favorite part would have to be the opening --- "Despise not the little for life's greatest gifts come packaged as riddles" ---This is a true and beautiful piece in and of itself. .thanks for the post -carl

[Akinlolu]

Thanks for your informative and entertaining review, Carl. I treasure it.
Akinlolu.

[Soren]

I found myself identifying more and more as I read this piece. The metaphors are great but what really underlies this poem is it's philosophy and meaning. I couldn't agree more.

[Akinlolu]

I agree with you that this poem is solidly philosophical although it came to me more like a song. I'll let it remain a poem. I may have enough mental strength and wisdom sometime in the future to experiment with it as a song. Thanks for your observation.

[Chris Shaw]

Bigger is certainly not better. When money becomes king, we have lost the plot. It seems to me that the wealth of some is obscene when those at the bottom of the ladder struggle to survive. Thank you Akinlolu. I particularly like

We sold ourselves
in the quest for gain
We stole thunder
and lost the rain

A very good day to you.

Chris

[Akinlolu]

I laugh at your visit. I knew you'd always bring an insightful contribution. Yes, our generation is mostly concerned with thunder at the expense of rain. We can have both but the rain is what we need for survival. A beautiful day to you,

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you my friend and I wish the same for you and your hard working wife :)

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree my friend. We forgot human kindness. Profit over life.
"We sold our souls
in our quest for gain.
We stole thunder
and lost the rain."
The above lines Akinlolu. Hard and true. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry. I did like this one.
Coyote

[Akinlolu]

Thanks for stopping by my friend. We can survive without the thunder but what's to be our our fate without the rain? We are to ignore the minor and focus on the major.
Akinlolu

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree my friend and you are welcome.

[John the Baptist]

You've touched on an important point here: The bigger is not the better. You show this through a number of examples which are very effective. I would suggest, however, that you end it after the couplet that states that bigger is not better. After that, you seem to wander off the main theme.

[Akinlolu]

I took a second and hard look at this poem, sir John. I think I'd end the piece with "we stole thunder and lost the rain" if I have to rewrite it. Or I'd reworked that part to appear before "the bigger is not the better". Your observation is noted. I think I need to start taking myself more seriously. I do like playing with words but the message shouldn't be crowded out by too many ideas competing for attention and space. Gracias.

[DIVYA]

What if we gained the world and lost our souls?
Indeed, the world is so deceptive. Nothing is really as it seems and least of all is wealth a bringer of joy.
I cling to my blessings a lot more tightly as I read this.
This is a stunningly beautiful poem, Akinlolu. You stir your reader and awe them with your imagination and arguments. I'm totally convinced!

[Akinlolu]

I admit that you've seen into my heart, Divya. Wealth is a good thing but it isn't everything. I've seen too many miserable millionaires and I've seen average people as happy as a lark. Keeping up with the Joneses is just another way to die before one's time. High blood pressure, ulcer, sleepless nights, seeing everyone as a potential competitor and a lot of other unwanted stuffs. Life is beautiful, but it's not forever. So we should appreciate what we have and enjoy it.