PEACE

Once I had trouble with myself
Wondering pondering and looking for help
All about me i could only see and hear
Agonies of grief and fear
Then with deep thought i wished and questioned
If only the pains and confusion
were all but great illusions.

All of a sudden from high above
It seemed i saw a white dove
Flying over me with an olive in it's mouth
with great joy i said aloud
Alas! all my troubles are ceased
For that was a symbol of peace!

Peace that surpasses all understanding
such that brings with it a lasting calmness
Taking away all sorrows and suffering
And giving joy in it's fullness
So without doubt i knew that all of these
were the wondrous works of peace!

PEACE

Shattered by the storms of Life,
Wounded by the pain of the Past,
Bruised by the thief of the Future
And plagued by the fear of the unknown
I wandered through life
Seeking for a life of ease
In a world full of Ills.


From Jerusalem i wandered,
From the place of peace i strayed
And into the hands of thieves i fell.
Oh what hope was my future i asked.


Then out of a storm a Gentle whisper came,
The chastisement of your peace i Bore!
Oh what peace you often Forfeit!
Oh what needless pain you Bear!

The lily of the valley I am,
The prince of peace I am,
The keeper of Isreal I am.
Return to Jerusalem the place of PEACE,
The place where Mountains Surround,
Return to me and my peace I'd give to you
Putting your life back in one peace......


Composed by Esther Antai
08038319920
Contestant of cedars of Passion
May 2011 competition.

THE REBIRTH OF NIGERIA

Behold the rising sun!
Fell the peace in the Atmosphere
Brightness fell like the stars
The earth moved strickly to the commandment of change
As winged chariot hurry near
Rendering songs of peace.

Wonderful!oh how wonderful
Is a day like this
For a child is born
No wonder the ageing gets renewed in
amazement of the new born child
We no longer bargain away our conscience
in the market place under the
weight of poverty.
For the ambassadors of poverty are no more
The killers of our future are no more.


come! come and see!
The vegetative freshness blossomed
As mild as cinnamon
The fragrance of indian spice
came rolling in the air
Turning and turning
As the waters sang songs of victory
For the corrosive wars of corruption
has come to an end.
For we will no longer drink mud for water
and rats for food
Oh! what a peace.

For we will entangle ourselves into one ball in the
magic maze of change
Bringing to us all a new phase of life.


Composed by Deborah Bada.
Contestant of cedars of passion
May 2011 Competition.

BEYOUND THE CLOUDS

Wondering through,
Dancing through,
Just walking by,
Not so far that he cannot hear,
His eyes can pierce through
Even the tiny details.
His hands are so near,
We can be wrapped in them
Have you stopped that your voice
May touch his ears
Have you laid down the burdens
and questions at his receiving feet?
His eyes and yours are the only ones
That travel with us everywhere.


Can we launch out without
Kissing his ears with our voices
Troubles behind, troubles before,
The breadth of his nostrils can
Bring them down.
From the simple utterances of our heart
Dead men have greeted the living as
Men raised their voices to God
The barren have welcomed babies as women raised
their voices before the altar.
Mountains can melt into plain ground
as we raise our voices to the highest...

Complaining,grumbling,murmuring,
Things will still stay the same.
Sitting, standing, or kneeling as we speak
into his heart we can get the map and
Blueprint for our lives.......
On bended knees Elijah saw his hands
in the clouds
And the rain came pouring down.
As we pray we can hold
the stormy winds in our hands
and receive grace to be messengers of peace.
As we pray the eternal hand can help us
live our ordinary lives as
Revelations are birth for the extraordinary.
Kiss his ears with your voice.....

THE STING OF IDLENESS

Looking out through the window called life
Saw a set of great people that were immovable
Stung by what seem pleasurable
But yet webbed in it.

Early to bed but yet the last to rise
with reservoir of excuse never ending
Always seeing impossibilities in various
Shapes and sizes
Which they have accurately built.

Unable to stop wishing their lives and good
Opportunities away
Immaculate give me fellows but never giving
Fantasying of wealth they have amassed in their slumber
oh, well beautified devil's workshop.


In the passage of time,the creator came to take
But like the fig tree, found no fruit therein
Buried six feet below with great treasure and wealth
Containing too much than the grave could carry,
they all withered away

I asked why, Oh why
And the reply was the THE STING OF IDLENESS.


Composed by UDUAK TONY,
2nd prize winner
cedars of passion poem competition
MAY 2011.