(for JP Clark-Bekeredemo at 80)
You are the mouthpiece,
Piercing with words,
Piping your thoughts
Through many collections.
JP, My JP.
From the Ijaw waters,
He transversed to hook a Yoruba lady,
Detribalizing his arts
Through his visible life.
JP, My JP
Your pepper is pepperish,
Peppering those with smeared conscience,
You have been saying it
With a descriptive difference
Through the genres.
JP, My JP.
Judging with the Pen,
Judgment to prick
You have not relented,
Yearning to their hearing,
Even if they don’t hear,
JP, My JP
You have turned grey
Yet evergreen,
Turned younger
Through writing,
JP Clark is already immortal,
Do 80 more collections,
Now that you are 80
JP Clark, Iba o!
(c)Olutayo IRAN-TIOLA, Lagos, Nigeria
