Meanwhile, Delight was already over the moon with the forth coming celebrations. She was excited quite alright she would be celebrating this birthday on the backdrop of her recent feat at the just concluded national beauty pageant. It meant a drastic change in the class of dignitaries who will be in attendance at the party. That in itself is a proud achievement. The reunion celebration additional to it was neither here nor there. She felt nothing fantastic nor awkward about it as she was still not sure she has strong enough feelings for Victor. His machismo, and her helplessness at forestalling a loss of career endorsements had brought them together again, and not a supposed love she has for him. But in all, the most exciting and probably would be the most soul lifting aspect of the celebrations generally, was her much anticipated performance of the Masked Poet. She was already looking forward to his presentation; she even wished she could get a glimpse of the poem he would present that day in her dreams; and what's more, she would see the Masked Poet, the famous Masked Poet in the flesh! And at very close range too! This party would be a bang! She thought....................
At last, the D-day arrived and at a point, the master of ceremonies informed the stage was set for a poem or two by the Masked Poet. However, he informed, the Masked Poet will perform behind the scenes; only his voice will be heard. The invisible Masked Poet was cheered and applauded by the guests as the piano joined, stricking a welcome sound.
'Before l read the first poem,' the Masked Poet's voice resonated, 'May l please invite the celebrant to walk up to, and take her stand at the podium, facing the guests as l read the poem.'
Delight, obviously disappointed that the Masked Poet has been declared invisible, managed to put up a smile and a show to walk towards the stage, stand and face the guests. To salvage a situation which could make her miss out totally on the thrill of the Masked Poet's poems, she decided to sheath her disappointment, wear a very big smile, and focus attentively on the poem in rendition. But even if she did not smile, her swollen countenance wouldn't have lasted for long, the moment the Masked Poet began reading the poem.
'This poem,' she heard him say, 'is titled: THE CONQUEROR IS IN TOWN!'
Stand! For the conqueror
make way! For the conqueror
clear the path! For the conqueror
then all hail! The conqueror
cos the conqueror is in town!
And it is her birthday.
In the flora of femininity
when they were assembled,
you placed amongst the canopies
yeah, the highest of them all!
Surely, you are a canopy
the very highest canopy.
In the flora of femininity
you stood out, you were the tallest
you beat all other flora
you conquered them all!
Stand! For the conqueror
doff your hat! For the conqueror
then all hail! The conqueror
the conqueror of feminine flora
cos the conqueror is in town!
And it is her birthday.
In the fauna of beauties
when convened for a contest,
you ranked amongst the fairest
yeah, the fairest of them all!
Surely, you are a beauty
classified beauty of beauties.
In the fauna of beauties
you stood out like a lioness
you conquered the jungle's beauties
you slaughtered their pride!
Stand! For the conqueror
bow the head! For the conqueror
then all hail! The conqueror
the beauty jungle conqueror
cos the conqueror is in town!
And it is her birthday.
In a bunch of rare gems
when put up in a showcase,
you were amongst the choicest
yeah, the pearl in that range!
Surely, you are golden
alternatively, a refined diamond.
In a bunch of rare gems,
you stood out, you glittered most
outshining the other gems
you eclipsed their brilliance!
Stand! For the conqueror
bend the knee! For the conqueror
then all hail! The conqueror
the conqueror amongst rare gems
cos the conqueror is in town!
And it is her birthday.
In a pageant of the best
when let loose for a display,
you were pitched the grandest
yeah, the best of the best!
Surely you are the greatest
the indisputable world beater.
In a pageant of the best
you stood out, amongst the states
you overcame the very best
you shattered their egos!
Stand! For the conqueror
make obeisance! For the conqueror
then all hail! The conqueror
the conqueror of all that's best
cos the conqueror is in town!
And it is her birthday.
So stand! For the conqueror
make way! For the conqueror
clear the path! For the conqueror
then all hail! The conqueror
cos the conqueror is in town!
And it is her birthday.
It was a sea of rapturous ovation as the Masked Poet announced the end of the poem. The celebrant herself couldn't help applauding as well. All through the poetic rendition, the words of the poem kept blending seamlessly with her soulful satisfaction and she couldn't help smiling and then laughing at occasions. At the end of the poem, while she clapped vigorously from being astounded, her voice was amongst the many who shouted in admiration at the poetic rendition. 'This truly is the Masked Poet, the one l know!' She mumbled within her. 'But why can't l see him? Why is he not visible? Who made this shoddy arrangement for God's sake? Certainly the poem would have blended better if his sonorous voice matched with sights of his alluring facial mask! But then, once again, who did this shenanigan? Who the hell has cut the fullness of my joy on this day of mine? Oh, oh, oh!........ Victor! It must be Victor. It can be anyone else. He made the arrangements. But why did he arrange it this way? He better come up with a very sound explanation later, else, she wouldn't find it funny; not at all!'
'Now, l move on to rendering the second poem.' She was jerked out of her thoughts by that voice again, that sonorous voice of the Masked Poet informing of where the celebration has progressed to. 'With all sense of honour, l plead with the glamorous celebrant to kindly spare us some more minutes of her time and remain in her present position. This poem is titled: QUEEN OF AESTHETICS.'
I paint you with aesthetics
lady so aesthetic
I cloth you with aesthetics
beauty so aesthetic
I dip you in aesthetics
gem so aesthetic
oh grand symbol of aesthetics!
I come with more aesthetics
to shower on you profusely
and crown you queen of aesthetics.
First, from my vocabulary
I shower on you words
with the most aesthetic letters:
you are beautiful, you are pretty
you are gorgeous, you are elegant
you are splendid, you are magnificent
you are charming, you are enchanting
you are attractive, you are glorious
you are alluring, you are glamorous
you are enrapturing, you are enticing
you glitter, like diamond
you shine, like the sun
you spellbind, like a charmer
you glimmer, like the moon
you glow, like a fire
you take breath away
you make hearts skip
you cause cosmic motionlessness
you give men bent necks
you widen starring eyes
a
nd oh queen of aesthetics
many dropped dead at your beauty!
Then from my paint board
I shower on you colours
the most brilliant of them:
I paint you blue, and green too
I paint you red, and yellow too
I paint you orange, and pink too
I paint you violet, and purple too
what about aqua and brown?
what about grey and topaz?
what about indigo and white?
and oh queen of aesthetics
should l just bring you the rainbow?
Next, from my garden
I shower on you flowers
with their aesthetic petals
would you like the red rose?
would you prefer the blue rose?
would you love the white rose?
should l bring the hibiscus?
together with the lilac?
catch, l throw, a yellow bugle
at your feet, a chrysanthemum
in your hands, a sun flower
in your hair, a lily
for your smell, a sweet pea
on your path, marigold
round your bed, honeysuckles
in your room, a daffodil
in your car, violets
in your residence, carnation
and oh queen of aesthetics
could l bring you the garden of Eden?
Lastly, from my luxury box
l shower on you gems
the most royal of them:
I wear you a golden crown
laced with jasper
l put on you silver bracelets
striped with emerald
on your neck , a diamond necklace
mixed with sardius
on your ankle, topaz anklets
tainted with onyx
I give you emerald cuffs
for your sleeves' ends
a set of carbuncle buttons
for your gown of many colours
and a pair of chrysolite shoes
laced with pure jacinth
and oh queen of aesthetics
own my mine of precious stones!
I paint you with aesthetics
lady so aesthetic
I cloth you with aesthetics
beauty so aesthetic
I dip you in aesthetics
gem so aesthetic
on grand symbol of aesthetics
l come with more aesthetics
to shower on you profusely
and crown you queen of aesthetics.
The crowd went beserk from applauding and shouting. It wasn't just a poetic rendition, this rendition was more than a poem. It was a novel show never before associated with the rendition of a poem. It was one which should be a classic for a beauty pageant or some other similar event, and it had a ripple effect all around the birthday bash's space. Many thanked their luck for attending the party as all round, it produced waves and waves of satisfaction.
Now, what made this poem extra special was the accompanying acts as the poem unfolded.
From the third stanza to the fifth, as the Masked Poet mentioned a particular colour, flower, or gem, series of young men and ladies appeared from various flanks of the celebratory venue with ribbons of correspondingly read colours; small flower vases of equally mentioned flowers, all plastic; and as well, plastic versions of rare gems as the Masked Poet read them out from the poem. When a related item was mentioned, the bearer of that item, for instance a coloured ribbon, will put the circled ribbon on her , stretching from a shoulder to the opposite end of her waist, until, she was worn all the colours mentioned in the poem. Then as a flower was mentioned, the bearers dropped them at her feet until they formed a circle about her while the sweet pea was put in her hands and gently directed to her nose by one of the bearing ladies. It was same wise for the gems as they all took their places from her crown to her feet. As each gesticulation unfolded, the guests cheered and shouted at the top of their voices in unheralded excitement. On her part, Delight was absolutely, and more than absolutely overwhelmed. She has never been so beautified in her life, not even at the concluded national pageant; or at least in a very natural way as the Masked Poet has done, all on the backdrop of a sweet poem. The Masked Poet made her day, teetotally.................except for the humongous crime of being invisible. On the other hand, as would be expected, Victor was inwardly shattered. He has never taken poetry, nor the Masked Poet seriously; and had wondered severally why people seek his services. But today, he saw why. Today, the Masked Poet of a young man surprised him. Today, he discovered he was more than just reading a pack of words he has put together. And today of all days! Why didn't the Masked Poet tell him of this dimension to the poems when he went to negotiate with him? He questioned, soliloquizing. Now, more than ever, he realized, belatedly though, that the Masked Poet was totally a bad idea from the set go. He should have just turned down the proposal as soon as Delight sounded it but alas, he has already done the deed! He has swept Delight off her feet! The very thing she has been craving from him all along! But thankfully, she will not get to see him, at least not today. And he will make sure to put her under check so she doesn't visit the Emotional House.
'Now l invite the celebrant's boyfriend to join her on stage as I render the last poem to mark their recent reunion.' He was jolted from his vicious day dreaming by the Masked Poet's plea.
Grudgingly but pretendedly, he walked to meet Delight up the stage with a bogus smile. She as well, produced a pretended smile but deep down her heart, she awaited a showdown with Victor after the party for keeping away from her, sights of the Masked Poet.
'Please, can the couple face each other and stare into each other's eye as I read the poem.' The Masked Poet continued.
They did............but were actually starring into oblivion, and not their eyes. Their faces, just a launching pad into that oblivion.
'This poem is titled: 'WHEN YOU LEFT ME.'
When the poem began unfolding, the crowd realized against their thoughts they have seen the last of the Masked Poet, he was by no means done with his theatrics. After reading the first stanza, the guests heard a female voice reading the next stanza in that order till the poem ended. The Masked Poet's voice represented Victor's while the female voice represented Delight's. It went thus:
(The man)
When you left me
I told my brain to forget you
and my heart to unlove you
but in the haste forgot l that
my memory is in my brain
and sentiments rule my heart
perhaps my brain obeyed
perhaps my heart obeyed
but my memory didn't
and my sentiments didn't
making it from the onset,
a task aborted on arrival.
(The lady)
When you left me
I told myself to get over you
and my mind, bravely quit you
but so quickly l forgot that
the human is flesh and blood
and in the mind are guts and fears
perhaps myself obeyed
perhaps my mind obeyed
but my bloody flesh didn't
and my mind's fears didn't
making it from the onset,
a kick against a hard brick.
(The man)
When you left me
I smiled all thru' the day
but cried all thru' the night
pretending so hard until
I started crying all day long
and hallucinating all night long
the day couldn't help me
the night couldn't help me
as loving memories exhumed
and fond sentiments seethed
then I rose to apologize
but you were not reachable.
(The lady)
When you left me
I made friends with alcohol
watching movi
es, a pastime
which eventually clears out.
I solaced in ecstasy drugs
and hung out more with friends
but neither alcohol nor movies
ecstasy drugs nor friends' company
could ever have substituted
for love's ecstatic companionship
then I ran to find you
but my pride held me back.
The man: When you left me
The lady: Was when I realized
The man: You shouldn't have left
The lady: Rather, not allowed you go
The man: Then I came to grips
The lady: l never valued you
The man: That I took you for granted
The lady: And underestimated your love
The man: That you mean to me more,
The lady: Than your companionship suggests.
(Together)
I shouldn't have left
you shouldn't have left
we shouldn't have left
then we would have avoided
the trauma of a break up
the soap of broken hearts
and now we're back again,
may we never, ever again
The Masked Poet Page 11
