African Tanka

i walk with tender
foot along the fatal shore of time
in absolute silence
hacking my way through the fog of misery;
the dangling vines of hope

the wind
sings the dreamtime
melody
under the infinite
sky of blue

the golden rays
of the fearless sun hang
over my shoulders
like the scented cloth of destiny;
cleansing my naked soul

yet, in my
solitude, I yearn for the gentle
light of heaven
the hidden compass to the true
north of my being

you anointed my body
with glee; quivering in ecstasy;
wrapping me
in the luminous waves
of beauty divine

your gentle touch
liberates my consciousness
nourishing my dreams…
the frisky moon dances in the fecund
island of desire


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

African Haiku On The Menu

rainbow over
the palm tree of fortune
flame of love divine

the dance of flowers
in my visual field foretold
little beauty next door

a wonderful new life
blossoms in the inner space of desire
the size of an atom

i sit like
the Nefertiti’s kitten; thinking
of your hidden sweetness

the cock crows
under the rose petals; wings of joy
in my father’s house

a big night
over the crescent moon
how sweet is the sound of lovebirds!

the little grains
of laughter fall on my famished lips…
a flash of love particles

i wake up
early like the golden dawn
tasting your nectar

the sun smiles and
the African violet blooms in earnest
this glorious day


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

Bikes for the Refugee Children

The Seaton Park Primary School in South Australia is appealing for donations of second-hand bicycles for children in the area – children who have recently migrated to Australia as refugees.


wheels in motion…
true love blossoms in the land
down under


To donate a bike, please call the Seaton Park Primary on 8356 2422.

After the Deluge

after the deluge
the moon dances to the mesmerizing
rhythm of the earth…
the glorious sound of kissing
in the ‘hood

true love
blossoms before my eyes
burying my sorrows

the ancient land renews
itself with the love molecules of desire
the hidden language of hope

the cock crows and
the delicate beauty of the realm
flutters
in the wind
stirring the heart

your sweetness
flows through my precious veins
like the river of heaven

now, my heart leaps
for joy as the nightingale sings;
presenting an
audacious face to the retreating
back of the King Tide

i spend the new dawn
meditating on the wonders of nature
the eternal wholeness of being

the endless flame
of passion purifies my soul
this joyful day
i thrive on the embers of love divine
tasting your nectar

© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

The Flooding Rains of Oz

like the fury from hell
the wrath of king tide overwhelms
the land with fear
and flooding rains; plucking the baby
from her mother’s arms

the brittle
fragments of life vanished
like faded dreams…

the palatial homes
and gardens disappear without trace
ravaged by
the dead Hand of Nature, the flooding
rains of Oz foretold

i fight like
the rainbow warrior of time
pacifying the gods

sleep deserts me
as bodies float like rag dolls along
the main street
haunted by the angry waters
of the inland sea

i live on air and
prayer like a poet possessed
dreaming of a new dawn

innocent flood victims
cry for help; unleashing the mighty torrents
of kindness across the vale;
breaking the long silence of the
nation in mourning

then, the sun smiles…
and the land gives up its secrets,
the hidden treasures of wonder revealed

after the deluge
new love flowers in my veins, like
a garden in full bloom
the gentle wind dances with the summer's heat;
transforming my soul

© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

The Sacred Seed of Hope

like the fledgling eagle
of the realm, I fled the sorrows
of the ancient land
under the cover of darkness; going into exile
beyond the silver sea where dreams come true

yet, the powerful
currents of time envelop me in the cold
light of dawn
just as the purple flower of the heart blossoms
in earnest; carrying the sacred seed of hope

you anointed my
body with your kisses sublime
fanning the flame
of true love in the blissful
places of the heart

bathed in the Light
we melt into each other in the nick of time…
two souls become one
and a new life emerges: what an
overwhelming sense of joy!

pain and anguish
dissolve in the ferment of the moment
as the little drop of heaven
falls on my pillow; dancing with my
dreams; purifying my soul

intoxicated with love,
i crow like the golden cock in the
crack of dawn
breaking down the barriers…
awakening the inner fragrance of desire

now, I plant
my roots, firmly, in the crystal
heart of passion
rekindling the flame, the scarlet
light of love within

© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

Ode to the Lost Boy

behold the enduring
image of the lost boy in the childhood
mist of the soul; doing the daily
battle for survival; weaving the tragic
tale of boyhood forgone

you are the divine gift
of the realm (wandering in the wild), the solitary soul
on a journey of self-discovery
the dreamtime alchemist who turns
the desert dust into the golden grains of beauty

yet, you slide into
the ‘hood in your darkest hour of need
speaking to my soul; searching for
the spiritual heart of mercy,
the single drop of heaven foretold

the mysterious ray
of light pierced through the darkness
as you tread softly; devouring my poems
along the winding path of reason;
capturing the spirit of the moment

the nightingale sings as
hope rains upon you in the island
of the gods, near the spring waters
of great joy, where the moonflower
dances to the rhythm of the soul

the aroma
of fortune fills the air just as
your beautiful tree of knowledge
flowers in earnest; feeding my songs; bearing
the delicious fruits of wonder

your boyhood energy bubbles
like a squat hourglass
like love molecules on heat
like the controlled
explosion of new life in the dawn of time

your light begins to shine
ever so brightly; rousing the lonely hearts
banishing
hunger and thirst in the fertile
crescent of the soul


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo