See you soon

Dear one,

For some time now,

I’ve been meaning to tell you this;

You’re a criminal,

so good at stealing hearts,

I would have said “heart” not “hearts”

In the past

but it hit me hard realising that mine

wasn’t the only heart you stole.

Deceiver!

You messed my feelings up

Wonder why my tempo dropped?

I no longer produce sweet melodies

in music but rant in speeches.

Blame me? Would you even dare?

You’re a sour grape

You’ve set my teeth on edge

I gnash to feast on you!

Trickly, you left my grip

How lucky you think you are.

But I am striking back

This is your last turn

Your cup’s full now, boo

Overflowing like a water fall

Gulping a cup of it’s flow for energy

I shall return, no remedy

I am not a switch you turn off and on at will

I am a bomb, exploding when dropped.

See you soon!

©️ Sophy Bless, January 8, 2021.

BRING BACK INFANCY

My love for you
Was as fresh as an infant
Innocent, soft and breathtaking
The passion was as that of a baby
Sucking from Mama’s breast

My love for you
Grew!
Stood!
Walked and became a lad
Running about you
Teasing and playing
Comes for regular cuddles
Hold hands with you
For guidance
Protection
And preservation

My love for you
Flew!
Soar!
Up above the sky
Forgetting to doubt
Forgetting sadness
As your gaze never left me

My love for you
Grew and became a maiden
Endowed for her groom
Laid with a foundation of need
Brows of trust
lipsticked red with confidence
Powdered with a dash of warmth
Adorned with a blush
A blush of care
Beautifully!
Excellently!
I stood a bride for a king
King you
You stood a king for a queen
Queen me

My love for you
Grew
Flourished
Bore kids
And bloomed
Never ever did your gaze
Leave me
But I noticed!
Your eyesight grew bad
Taking your gaze from me
Then!
A whirlwind threw me
To the rocks
Smashing me
To the floor
You didn’t notice

My love for you
That was once and infant
Grew old and wrinkled
Pale and sick
This love limped
It withered

And
Died!

I blame growth,
she killed us
I should have remained
that suckling child
and you,
the lactating mother.

©️ Sophy Bless, July 3, 2020

Broken Glass (An African tale)

I arrived at my father’s compound, heavily pregnant with 2 ecolac boxes beside me.

Mum and dad were shocked to see me, “Modupe, kilon shele? You never told us you were coming,” mum said as she welcomed me.

Speechless, I stood as I stared at them, I could see an uneasy look on Dad’s face, “Mummy Dupe, do not bombard her with questions yet, I believe she’ll speak up later,” dad responded to mum’s question.

As I took more steps, they noticed I was limping, I couldn’t hide it, I only succeeded in hiding the burns on my back.

At age 21, I had numerous suitors, men of different works of life sorted for my hand in marriage, marriage was the last thing on my to-do list as I was very brilliant in school then but my parents felt marriage was the ultimate for every female child.

“Modupe, this is the best time to get married oh, a woman doesn’t have much time on her side,” my mum always said this to me.

I wanted to get a university degree, get a well paying job or run a successful businesses before getting married but I was pressured by my parents beyond limit.

I yielded to their advice, I got married to Adelakun Adegboyega, the son of one of the chiefs in our town.

He resided in Lagos, this fact alone made my parent feel I had caught a big fish. I only saw Adelakun twice before we got wedded, both occasions was when he came to perform some traditional rites. I hated him, not only was he way older than me, he was so huge and had this scary look and crooked voice.

After our traditional wedding, Adelakun drove me in his pegeot 504 down to Lagos, we barely spoke as we journeyed, mum had assured me that I would be alright.

I would have preferred to be captured as a slave by a slave master rather than dwell in Adelakun’s bossom. When we arrived Lagos that night, he showed me round the house and I was made to cook dinner that night. Adelakun kept laughing mischievously as I cleared the table where he ate. That night was horrifying, Adelakun forced himself on me even after I had complained bitterly that my whole body ached.

I remembered how my friends and I always fantasized about our first night with our husbands, what I experienced was totally off from what I had dreamt of, permit me to save the details as talking about it would open fresh wounds.

Shortly after we settled in Lagos, I found out that my husband was not only a chronic alcoholic, he was also a womaniser and rumours had it that Adelakun was in a secret cult. I shared my matrimonial bed with different women, Adelakun didn’t even bother about how I felt. I remembered how he woke me up around 2:00am one night to cook Amala for one of his mistresses, I complained and received the beating of my life, in pains I went out that cold, rainy night, lighted the firewood stove and cooked for them.

I conceived many times but had numerous miscarr!ages. Before every miscarr!age, I’ll see a huge masked man in my dream punching my stomach till I ble!ed and when I wake up, I would be soaked in my own blo!od.

These nightmares ceased when Mama Demola, our next door neighbour introduced me to her pastor who prayed for me. This got Adelakun very angry, this made me believe the rumours they said about him being diabol!c. I sneaked whenever he was away to attend church, the more I attended church was the more he hated and spitted me.

I conceived again and for the very first time my pregnancy exceeded 3 months, this was a good news for me but a terrible news for my husband. He came home angrily one evening with a black substance in a water bottle, he asked me to drink it, he said he was not ready to have a baby yet and this got me more worried. Who wouldn’t want to have a baby in marriage?

I refused to drink the substance and I earned several punches on my stomach that night, as he punched me heavily, I remembered the nightmares I always had before every miscarriage, in all this the baby stayed.

I saw hell during this period, attacks on every side, nightmares too but my baby stayed till I was 6 months gone. Adelakun burnt my back with a pressing iron one hot afternoon after I slept off while cooking.

Mama Demola was really supportive, she advised that I return to my parents, I yielded to her advice. She gave me some money to support me too.

****

My culture frowns against divorce, my society too, even my religion.

But Sir/Ma would you advise me to remain in such a marriage that poses such threat to my life? Should I sit there and wait till I am killed? Should I pray for such an evil man to change?

I am broken, wounded but I still have breath, I have a future too and I won’t let anyone ruin it.

The end.

I hope this inspires you? Please share

©️ Sophy Bless, June 2020

AN OATH

Engulfed in fear, I received another heavy slap on my face “paaaaa” it registered in my brain.

I was very weak and helpless, I couldn’t fight Cheesy as he tied me with a rope on a chair, he covered my mouth with a tape, my mouth was already swollen, there was this sharp pain I felt in my tummy.

“If I can’t have you, no one else will,” he said huskily.

“You break a covenant, you die, but first, I love how innocent your daughter looks, hahahahah,” he added.

What was more heartbreaking was how he ripped off the clothes from my 2 years old Gloria, it looked more like he was going to rape her.

“Juicy, juicy” I heard him say as he licked his lips in lust.

Right before my eyes, Cheesy inserted his manhood inside the genitals of my baby girl, I could hear her scream, I saw the pain in my baby’s eyes, Cheesy laughed as he seemed to enjoy every bit of it, in less than 10 mins, my daughter passed out.

Was she dead? I wasn’t sure but the blood I saw from her made me so scared, I couldn’t scream because of the tape over my mouth but the tears that rolled from my eyes never stopped.

I could hear the baby in my womb kick violently, I was 7 months pregnant, Cheesy turned to me looking like a beast, giving me a heavy punch on my head.

“You can run but you can’t hide baby.”

Cheesy raped me mercilessly till I passed out.

I woke up hours later in an hospital, my husband Paul sat beside me, I could hear him pray, I tried to move but I couldn’t, I tried to talk but failed.

Paul lifted his head and his face was all teary, he was happy I was awake, he quickly called out to the Doctor who came in seconds later.

I was calm not until I noticed my tummy was flat, where is my baby? I thought to my self, I couldn’t speak. Where is Gloria? I asked in my heart as my mouth couldn’t utter a word.

“Sir you need to wait outside now, we need to examine your wife to ensure she is okay” the doctor said as Paul stepped out of the room. The doctor and the nurses did their thing as I watched them.

I woke up again, days later but I could talk this time, “congratulations Mr Paul, your wife can finally go home with you,” the Doctor said.

“Thank you so much,” I heard Paul say excitedly.

“Where are my babies” I managed to say.

Silence was the response I got, this got me so scared, tears had started rolling down my eyes when one of the nurses walked in with a baby in her arm, “here is your baby Sir,” she said as she handed over a baby wrapped in a shawl to Paul who received her joyfully.

“Paul where is Gloria,” I asked inpatiently as the scene of how she was raped flashed back. “Baby, calm down, Gloria is in heaven,” he said sounding really hurt, “but here, we have another baby.”

I couldn’t cry, I felt chills down my spine, “Noooooo,” I screamed, the nurses had to rush in to hold me.

“Cheesyyyyy! Whyyyy?” I screamed so loudly.

I remembered back then in my 100 level when I was engulfed in the fun of being free after leaving home for the very first time, I wanted to feel among so I accepted to date Cheesy the leader of the worst cult group in my school then, well I guess I pushed it till he noticed me and asked me out.

He was so obsessed with me, he made me take an oath not to ever leave him, deep down I knew there was no way I would marry such a human but then I took the oath as I never thought there would be repercussions.

I got married to Paul years later, how Cheesy located me is still a mystery.

He has won this battle, I am the biggest loser, my desperation to feel among back then in school has caused us the life of our precious daughter Gloria.

This wound will never heal, this spain will never be cured until I get my revenge.

The End.

That was fiction but lessons can be drawn.

Pick the good and do not fall on same path.

Have a lovely week.

©️ Sophy Bless, 5th May, 2020.

Sentenced

Why slap me in the room
where we first kissed?
On that same cheek
you once found succour on?

Why curse me with the same lips
with which you drunk from?
Why hit me with the
same hands that caressed me?

Why resent me with the same heart
which adored me?
Why punish me with the same force
you furnished me?

Why defile me on the same bed
we bonded in?
Why hate me with the same
Heart that loved me?

Where did I faulter?
How did I miss it?
What have I done wrong?
Why did we change?

Tell me my wrong,
let’s fix this
Tell me my sins,
I’ll restitute
Sentence me
I’ll serve the jail term

But, never give up on me.
For better for worse
Is what we signed in for.

©️ Sophy Bless

PRESSED (A story)

Bukola was checking to see if the garri she soaked about an hour ago had risen when Bolanle ran into their house with so much speed.

“Bukky, Bukky” he said, he had tears and sweat all over his body.

“Bolanle, what is the matter? You got the bread?” She answered.

“Sister Bukky, I am tired of this lifestyle, here is the bread, I was chased for almost 3km for stealing this bread, what if I was caught? why has God forsaken us? First he took our parents and now he has made life so difficult that we have resorted to stealing to feed” Bolanle said as he broke down in tears.

Bukola went towards her younger brother as she comforted him from his pain, I mean, their pain.

“So sorry bro, ahhh why? Are we the most unfortunate people on Earth?” She cried out.

“It’s okay sister, I forgot to tell you yesterday, mummy Denis asked me to see her this evening, she may help us,” Bolanle added as he joined his big sister as they pounced on the over soaked garri that was left from their last “stealing” mission.

Bolanle was only 12 years old, Bukola was just 15, they lost their parents to food poisoning after which they whmere sent parking from the house they rented at Tanke in Ilorin.

This two moved into an uncompleted building where criminal used as their hide out most times, they started stealing after they discovered that they would die of starvation if they continue to hope for some miracle.

The room where they kept few of their properties was nothing to write home about, it looked like a rat hole, with this fowl smell of unwashed clothes, rats feces, urine by passerbys etc, their only crime was loosing their parents as life decided to punish them afterwards.

****

(Hours later, same day)

“Bolanle! Wow! Where did you get all these foodstuffs from? Did you??” Bukky asked inquisitively.

“Noo, I didn’t steal them, Mummy Denis gave them to me, she said she wants to see you that if you can make it tomorrow it would be good” said Bolanle.

“Oh wow! I will see her, she is such a nice woman”.

The two siblings celebrated what seemed like a blessing, Mummy Denis had sent down, 5 mudus of garri, 5 mudus of rice, a carton of noodles, a carton of pasta, vegetable oil, a few tuber of yams and 5,000 naira cash.

Trust, they had a good meal that night.

The next day Bukky dressed up and went straight to see Mummy Denis, their savior.

“I like you a lot Bukky and I want to help you and you brother but I need a favour from you,” said Mummy Denis.

“Ahhh ma you have done so much for my brother and I, anything you want I will do, you’ve been so good,” said Bikola.

The smile on Mummy Denis face was so great, she stood up, shut the door, then she came close to Bukky, the next minute Mummy Denis was forcing what looked like a kiss on Bukky’s lips, she proceeded to touching Bukky on her breast.

“Mummy Denis, please stop, what are you doing?” Bukola said as the picture got clearer to her.

“Shhhh, keep quiet, allow me do this, satisfy me, make me happy and I’ll take care of you and your brother,” was what came out from the mouth of Mummy Denis, this was the scariest thing that ever happened to Bukky but she allowed Mummy Denis, a fellow woman defile her just so as to feed and get the basics of life.

The end…

***

Feel free to complete this tragic tale but believe me, we have so many in this shoe, many ophans who have been raped by life simply because they experienced the unfortunate loss of their parents at a young age.

The less privileged are the last people to take advantage of and the first people to help without expecting anything in return.

There is no justification for stealing and committing crimes just to make ends meet, that doesn’t mean we should be in a hurry to judge those doing it.

There are millions of cries, only if you can be sensitive enough to listen and render a help, no matter how small.

A single meal could be what could save someone, when last did you give to the needy?

Sophy Bless, March 17, 2020

APRIL 1998

“For tonight we’ll dine in Hell” I could hear fate telling me not to miss this shot for a thing. The word ‘Death’ for the first time didn’t seem to move me, “vengeance is mine and vengeance I’ll get” I said this for the 10th time that Wednesday night. They say “an idle man is the devil’s workshop” I say “an angry woman can command the devil himself”, I smiled as I loaded the gun with bullets.

“A gun?” You may ask, yes, a gun, getting one wasn’t much of a problem to me, being the daughter of the gun loving Gen. Nosa Ahaz made it quite easy, earlier today, I had stolen dad’s bedroom key from His car as I had raised an alarm to distract them. Hacking into his safe was much easier as I gained access on my third attempt, I got the needful and fled to my room.

Alani Philips had toiled with me and this vengeance, I must get. He feels he’ll dump me after wasting my life for 7 good years? Hahahahaha he lies. The news of Alani’s wedding stopped my heartbeat for a moment, that ungrateful rat had had the best of me and now wants to move to another? Never, we are all dying tonight.

Alani and I started dating from our 100 level, I assisted him in every single way, paid his fees from 200-400 level as he lost his parents that same year, accommodated him in my house back then in school, loved, cherished him, I never imagined cheating on him for anything, how does he expect me to survive this life without him? And without a breakup I see his wedding invitation on the newspaper? (Sobs)

In much rage, I arose, with a well loaded gun, a matchet, butcher knife, ear protector, dark shades, black pants and a red velvet hud shirt, I left through the basement alternative route.

I biked to Alani’s mansion around the outskirts of the city, I scaled his electric fence, manipulated and gained access to their bedroom, my anger had turned me into what I was afraid of but something kept pushing me to do this.

As I drew closer I could hear her moan as he thrusts into her, this totally broke me, my Alani? Making another woman moan? I managed not to cry “perfect moment” I smiled. Silently, I fixed the silencer to my gun, my aim was simple, I planned to shoot Alani on his legs, the bitch (Alani’s new wife) on her legs too and have Alani watch me use my matchet as I dice the bitch into pieces after which I’ll shoot him and stab myself with the butcher’s knife that was in my murder kit.

But as I pulled the trigger, I could hear Mum’s voice in my imagination, it sounded audible, real and close, she kept saying “vengeance is the Lord’s, he knows how best to avenge every cause”, believe me, I did everything within my power to fight this voice but I just couldn’t.

Slowly, I packed back my weapons of mass destruction into my murder kit, slowly I walked out of Alani’s home, with tears in my eyes, I drove off on my bike, you know that lump of anger? I felt it on my throat.

I got home around half past 3:00am, in the bathroom, under the shower, I cried my pains out and said to myself “Alani, you are not worth sending me to hell, I forgive you, You are not worth bringing out the beast in me, I’ll let you go “.

I changed the fate that wanted to turn me into a monster, I’ll just stick to being a saint. Devil, this is your loss.

The end

Lessons

– To err is human, To forgive is divine, leave vengeance to God.

– Karma has a way of settling disputes, let it go.

– Unforgiveness is like swallowing hot coals of fire and expecting the other person to get burnt.

– Never hurt a soul that loves you.

©️ Sophy Bless

So it began with a kiss

Her innocence attracted me to her, Amanda was so damn attractive, something in me pushed me into asking her out.

I was 28, she was 17, I convinced her that age was never gonna be a barrier.

Cool part was she was a virgin and my lucky self happened to be her first date.

She gave me her rules, no kissing, no sex, no body contact except for handshakes, I obliged to her rules for just a while.

After much pressure for about 4 months Amanda said to me “Matthew, I would visit you this Saturday, would return home Monday morning”, this felt like the greatest news of all time.

You would wonder what a working class man like me would be looking for in a fresh secondary school graduate.

I fixed my house to taste, stocked my kitchen and refrigerator, changed my living room wall papers and everything was on fleek.

My selfish self didn’t bother to ask what lie she told her parents for them to allow her leave home for a whole weekend.

I drove to my junction to pick Amanda up to my house. So young yet her taste for fashion was crazy classic.

We got home, I made us dinner, we talked watched movies and did a lot together.

It was already 10:00pm, I had promise myself not to touch her but her flesh kept calling.

“Matty” as she fondly calls me “I trust you that is why I am here, please promise you won’t take advantage of me?” Sincerely her questions brought me back to consciousness.

The romantic movie we were watching just ended when Amanda asked “Matty, ehmm, I haven’t kissed a man before, my friends tell me it is beautiful, do you mind if we kiss?”

I suddenly became uneasy, her innocence stared at me, I knew where “just a kiss” has sent me in the time past but then her offer sounded too juicy to reject.

I came close to her and pecked her, she laughed at me and teasingly said “was that a kiss? I mean a French kiss please, let my tongue meet yours” truth be told, my adrenaline level was high already, couldn’t put a halt to this offer and again, with a very fast heart beat, I drew close to my innocent virgin Amanda and planted a kiss on her lips.

The rest became history, Amanda and I had already eating the forbidden fruit, her blood on my bedsheet killed me instantly, guilt overwhelmed me, Amanda kept sobbing till morning and I kept apologizing.

In three weeks Amanda tested positive to pregnancy, I went with her to the clinic, she asked what we were going to do and I insisted we abort it.

It took her two weeks before she accepted to go to the abortion centre with me.

After the doctor was done, I went to see Amanda, picked her and took her to my house to rest a bit before going home.

An hour after we got to my home I found Amanda in a pool of her blood lying still….

From a harmless kiss,
I killed Amanda
Amanda is dead because of me
Her parents dropped the charges against me but I can’t live with this guilt…

The end

Lessons
Do not awaken love until you are ready for it

If you feel you are ready for sex, know also that you are ready to become a parent

Body no be wood, you can’t possibly stay alone for a long time with someone you have feelings for and expect nothing to happen.
Do not test the devil

A 17 year old is not ready for sex, if you really find her attractive please allow her grow up.

An abortion may be successful but the guilt is ever present, don’t opt for it.

Keeping a child outside wedlock is certainly about the most difficult thing on earth but not compared to the guilt in abortion.

Mothers and fathers please have these kids close to you, pushing them away may send them into wrong places.

I hope we learn?

I killed a man

I killed a man, yes I killed him, I was left with no choice, I took the law into my hands. He said he loved me and wanted to marry me, being an Ophan had never been easy, my parents died in an auto crash 9 years ago.

Thank God dad had built a house before they left this world, no siblings, no relatives, I became a loner, managing my late mum’s shop. Ekene creeped into my heart and made me love him, he was almost like an angel, he was always there to listen and advice me, he said we were going to get married and all that trash, I fell for it, I believed his every word till I found out the worst about him.

Ekene was married with 4 kids, finding this out wasn’t easy, this alone got me depressed but he kept coming, saying he is sorry, I begged him to stay away but he never agreed. On this fateful day he came visiting, after a while I asked him to leave but he refused, in no time, he approached the door, locked it and put the key in his pocket, I asked him what he was up to but got no response.

Ekene pushed me, overpowered me, tied me to the bed and devoured my flesh like a lion would devour it’s prey, I screamed in pain, there was no one to help me, I was in the pool of my blood, he took my pride forcefully, I hated him, all he could say was “I need to reap where I’ve sown” he looked me again and said “go and have a bath, I will see you around”.I cried for hours, I was wounded , all alone I didn’t know what to do.

That was three months ago, 2weeks back, I reconciled with Ekene, I told him I was ready to be his mistress, I begged him to come make me feel like a woman again, the fool got happy and honoured my invitation today.

I laid stack naked on the bed to seduce him as soon as he entered the house, he was already vibrating by the awesome sight of my unclad figure, he jumped on the bed to help himself, little did he know it would be his last penetration, as soon as he made his way in, I took the knife I had kept under the pillow and gave it my best shot, yes, I killed him, stabbed him severally till there was no space left untouched.

I went straight to the station to report myself, here I am , in prison feeling fulfilled. What is more to life? I smiles as the judge passed his judgement on me, I’ll rather than let that man live.

The End

Lessons

Never take advantage of the weak and poor

Rape is devilish, it has destroyed so many people

I hope this inspired you?

Written by- SOPHYBLESS

How easy we forget

How easy we forget
the days they visited
when we fell ill
the days they sheltered
our homeless heads
the days they clothed
our naked bodies
the day they believed
our lies and forgave
our weaknesses

How easy we forget
the days they planted
seeds in us
good seeds that sprang forth
the days they had to plead
mercy for our sins
sins made not out of error
but out of full consciousness

How easy we forget
the days they fed our hunger
with no ordinary mortal’s food
but with foods for the gods
the day they swept
our filty grounds
with their purple gowns

How easy we forget
the days they sang
beautiful lullabies
to our matured baby hood
cuddling our stong feet
And sense full brains
With strong teeth
enough for bones
yet serve us milk

How easy we forget
the days they made us smile
the days they mourned with us
the days they had it rough
yet they saw it needful
needful to satisfy
our endless needs

How easy we forget
How easy we forget
and for a single wrong they did
we throw everything
to the mud of judgement
more like, we waited
for this moment
How easy we for…
How easy we…
How eas…
How…
H…

©️ Sophybless, October 8, 2019