Poem: ODE TO MY VALENTINE by Okee Igboegbunammadu

*ODE TO MY VALENTINE

Henceforth come glorious Nun

Pensive coquette of a crime gone

–that Lithe-carried sin of Yesterday

Now dead –even at the struck of Today             4

Hence with thy unrivall’d wonted state

Which in full stimulating skate

–windy suggestive of the Eastern Gate,

To rest me in a remorseful quake                      8

Hurry, abandon thy accustom’d Peignoir

For the Lark atop the prognostic Larkspur

Is singing the Old amatory tune

–the salient harbinger song of Fortune          12

Singing:Hark, hark

The clarion call to obey

The festive mood of Valentine’s Day       15

Singing: Hark, hark

For the outing of Ethiop’s Memmon

Who’s come without a Friar’s Lanthorn            18

Singing: Love is armed with Orpheus’ Lyre

Heralding the Heaven’s youngest cramm’d Star

Outa the Cynthian Cimmerian Crest

–guiding the estranged thro’ the Celestial Rest           22

Hasten up, with good-nurtured flame

To Flora’s Eden of fame

Where counsel sought is lent

Of the flower best in scent                          26

Hasten up my Sunshine

Let’s make the Time fine

Or better plea the glorious Divine

To make the Hour mine                      30

Hie to high Fortune

On Equine’s back commune

Steer’d by the aged birdie voice

To me thy Eglantine choice                  34

Hie, snug-in to Hymen’s Hammock

Cherish my happy stentorian rock

Revolving from the aged Deck

Sounds true to the Ritual’s Rebeck       38

What is this on thy cute cuticles,

If it’s not edging my ravenous angles;

Who is it looking this gay,

If it’s not for Love’s day?              42

* Dedicated to the Love-of-my-life, Joy-Lawrencia Igbos