Forest of the Lost

i walk along
the forest of the lost with tender foot
searching for
the sweet fragrance of life,
the true north of my being

love dances
under the eucalyptus tree
warming my heart.
yet, the cricket
does not sing

like the alchemist of desire,
i listen to the mesmerizing
sound of silence…
a slow journey
to the heart of the beloved

in the forest
of the
lost
i find
you

i capture
the divine moment with lustful eyes
feeding my longing
drinking from the naked solitude of the age,
the profound metaphor for survival

i find the wicket passage
as poetry runs through my veins
nurturing the mind, the centre of my soul,
the living flower of the realm,
the sublime core of everything



© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

The Beautiful One

time marches on
like Nefertiti’s kitten
like the Beautiful One who comes to me
in the pale light of dawn
energizing my soul
as i survey the landscape of destiny
searching for
the magic blossom.

how wonderful is your
tender touch!
the sound of summer rain

it’s the season of lonely hearts
of fun poems
and endless possibilities

i watch as the heavenly waters of desire
crash
on my roof
like saints in crystal buckets
like metals without light
like little drops of passion
oozing dreams (much to my utmost delight):
the perfect balm
of choice
to get me
through
the restless years



© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

Hope Rises Before Dawn

in this paradise of wonder
there is no room
at the Inn
for the fragile soul
struggling for survival
yet, with a dash of truth and beauty,
life changes in an instant;
raising a flicker of hope
before dawn…
i walk
into the heart of compassion
like the sublime fragrance of desire
like the vulnerable child-soldier in mufti; dancing to a different drum
plumbing the depths of survival
and pining for succour in agonizing loneliness
only to find
a new lease on life
a home
(away from home)
among
the dream weavers
of the realm who inspire me



© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo