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Hearty Garlands
For a person who has lived as long
And one who, as well, has done much
As you
Life’s whole process blooms into stark beauty
And failures give no trite, crippling regrets
Yet. On occasion, shamed, horrid green-eyed
Envy fights benign Felicitation exclusively couched
For you
By us who won’t be left out of today’s joy
And must send you warm hearty birthday garlands
You must, you wondrous mentor of rouges like us,
Receive copious blessings today; d stay well blessed
To you
Age eighty-five is life’s smiley, cloudless dawn
It is the gainful twilight of fulfilled dreams
Hope now nods in contented concert with spent desires
Now restful Hope neither nags nor raves nor rants
At you
But your heart sits on garlanded satis shores
Looking out to sea for health delivering vessels
From the subdued heights of your lofty conquered toils
And from flights of vanquished steps, at five and eighty,
Must you
Watch us strive and beat your mahogany chest in pride
You must shake your own hands like iroko agama
March on, old boy, do, and clinch yonder untamed gain
For yon lies mop-up work and higher tasks still
By you
To be accomplished; then must you hear trumpet sound
That to a guru must blow solo musical bravo
As you give yourself a cozy comfy treat today
Reclining in reminiscing and fondling a lingering smile
Could you
A certain style of locomotion all your own recall,
Best and aptly but simply dubbed ‘poetic walking’?
— S.O.H. Afriyie–Vidza
Read Also:
- Content Analysis of S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza’s “Hearty Garlands”
- Themes in S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza’s “Hearty Garlands”
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