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4200;
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Born Of God Nigeria
Proofreader, Copyeditor, Script Writer and Public Speaker. @ BOG EDITZ.
Shagamu, Nigeria
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7884
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In People and Society 2 min read
I saw My "Once Upon A Time"
<p>Once upon a time, son,</p><p>they used to laugh with their hearts</p><p>and laugh with their eyes:</p><p>but now they only laugh with their teeth,</p><p>while their ice-block-cold eyes</p><p>search behind my shadow.</p><p><br/></p><p>There was a time indeed</p><p>they used to shake hands with their hearts:</p><p>but that’s gone, son.</p><p>Now they shake hands without hearts</p><p>while their left hands search</p><p>my empty pockets.</p><p><br/></p><p>‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’:</p><p>they say, and when I come</p><p>again and feel</p><p>at home, once, twice,</p><p>there will be no thrice –</p><p>for then I find doors shut on me.</p><p><br/></p><p>So I have learned many things, son.</p><p>I have learned to wear many faces</p><p>like dresses – homeface,</p><p>officeface, streetface, hostface,</p><p>cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles</p><p>like a fixed portrait smile.</p><p><br/></p><p>And I have learned too</p><p>to laugh with only my teeth</p><p>and shake hands without my heart.</p><p>I have also learned to say, ‘Goodbye’,</p><p>when I mean ‘Good-riddance’;</p><p>to say ‘Glad to meet you’,</p><p>without being glad; and to say ‘It’s been</p><p>nice talking to you’, after being bored.</p><p><br/></p><p>But believe me, son.</p><p>I want to be what I used to be</p><p>when I was like you. I want</p><p>to unlearn all these muting things.</p><p>Most of all, I want to relearn</p><p>how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror</p><p>shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!</p><p><br/></p><p>So show me, son,</p><p>how to laugh; show me how</p><p>I used to laugh and smile</p><p>once upon a time when I was like you.</p><br/><blockquote><strong>PS: This is Once upon a Time by Gabriel Okara.....</strong></blockquote><p>I came across it and had deep thoughts about it.</p><p><br/></p><blockquote>The transition from the innocence of a child to the pretense in the adulthood questions the word "maturity"</blockquote><blockquote>What if what we call “maturity” is in a way learned dishonesty?</blockquote><blockquote><img alt="" src="/media/inline_insight_image/Screenshot_20260204-194649.jpg"/></blockquote><blockquote>Share your thoughts...</blockquote>

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