Today is my birthday.
A  day closer to the End Day
The last time, I will see the light of day,
With the frozen smile of death,
Or the frozen sleep of eternity.
A day farther from the Start Day;
The first time, I saw the light of day.
With all the joys and sadness of living,
The ups and downs of half a century plus.

Today is my birthday.
August fifteenth in the last year
Of the tubulent  millenium.
The Leos of the world's day.
A joy and remembrance day.
I went to bed on the fourteenth,
A simple prayer in my mouth.
Osa n'Oghodua -Lord God, into your hands,
My soul I commit.

Today is my birthday.
I have seen the fifteenth with smiles.
I praise you.  Oh! Lord God.
For a simple prayer said.
And a simple prayer answered.
To the church, I wandered.
People, people everywhere
Not one said," happy bithday."

Today is my birth day.
Children, children, everywhere.
Not one said "Happy birthday Daddy"
Could it have been different with Rose alive?
May be not. May be yes.
But at exactly twelve noon,
Rang the telephone with a boom.
" Happy Birthday  "  the voice said from a pay phone
I said," So you remembered to call me on the phone."

Today is my birthday.
A card. Yes. A lone card on the table.
The card read, " Happy birthday."
An American never forget birthdays.
My mind wandered and said,
" Rose how  are you?""
Dead silence!!!
Five years after you transpired,
Eleven years after I should have transpired
I am still here, marching to the tune of life.
Left, right. Left right into twilight of life.

Today is my birthday.
Caught in the act at twenty past One o'clock,
By the kids while composing this piece,
Suddenly they remebered Daddy's birthday:
A gift of wrist watch by one,
A promise by the other with a kiss,
Something for the aging Daddy.
And a lot of cry from the little one,
For the honor to open the only gift.
Then the chorus," Happy birthday Daddy."

Today is my birthday.
To the mirror, I showed my face.
Gray hair, gray hair everywhere.
On top of head and the side buns,
At the eyebrows, nostrils, beard, mustache;
At the chest,  armpit, belly bottom, and down below.
But the back of the body , the eyes can not see.
I looked up at the heavens and shouted,
" It seems I came half a century plus-a long time ago.
Osanobuwa, Oh! Lord God.  Thank you."


Iyi Eweka.