Tree House by Tega Ohwerhoye (April 2018 Publication)

27/3/2018

6A deserted house sits on a tree
Sometimes the tree is fair
And grows leaves on every branch and stem
So that the house is hidden
Sometimes it disagrees that a house can be tired
Tired of arrivals that turn to departures and of being both
Of birds reaching home at dusk
Empty, without whistling
And leaving again at dawn
Leaving feathers and tales behind
A house can be tired of having half songs bounce off its walls
Sometimes the tree does not understand how a house can be tired of being a house

So it loses all its leaves
And bares out a tree house sitting on dry branches
So revealed that on such days
Even men without journeys arrive.

Tega Ohwerhoye hails from Delta State, Nigeria. He holds an M.A (International Relations) from Coventry University (UK); and a B.A (English [Literature Emphasis]) from Redeemers University (RUN), Nigeria where he served as the department’s Public Relations Officer (2011-2012). He currently works as an Administrative Officer in a Housing Firm. He has worked with the Debt Management Office (DMO); National Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and BMG Research, Birmingham, UK as a Market Research Agent. He taught Literature-in-English at Darlington Crest College, Abuja, Nigeria and is also a member of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Network. He loves music and paintings.

3 Comments

Oluwatimilehin

19/4/2018 02:47:18 pm

It takes a closer reading to truly understand the concept of the poem.
It does not strike at first thought that the house creatively woven with words is actually a description of a nest- a bird's nest!
The metaphor so applied, is however, credible.

Ayo A

24/4/2018 05:08:20 am

Hands down one of the best because it takes one a while to know it's not just a house but a nest the poet is on about. Love the way the poet used metaphors.
Love the part that says "tired of arrivals that turn to departures".
Brief, intriguing and an all round awesome piece.

Azeeza link

28/4/2018 03:22:00 am

This is interesting. Home isn't always a place, and while we search for greener homes, we often forget the ones we leave behind.
I would have loved more if the poem was titled 'Nest' though.

The heart of the poem lies in the last stanza for me, you achieve your dreams bigger than you plan when you pluck off every thorns that hold you down.
EVEN MEN WITHOUT JOURNEYS ARRIVE.

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