POETIC TEE AMONG THE TOP 19 on WORD UP's ‪#‎WarOfWords4‬

We were challenged to come up with a poem on the Theme: WHAT IS LEFT OF WHAT IS RIGHT? It is a WORD UP's ‪#‎WarOfWords4‬ request. *WORD UP, the biggest Spoken Word Poetry Event in Nigeria, organized by Olumide Olulu Holloway's i2X Media.

Here are the requirements:

1. Write an 8-line poem on the theme: WHAT IS LEFT OF WHAT IS RIGHT?
2. You MUST use the title ‘What Is Left of What is Right’ in the poem
3. Make sure your poem is rich in IMAGERY/SYMBOLISM
4. Also try using ENJAMBMENT the right way
5. Remember that your DICTION and THEME must align.
6. Rhyming is not compulsory, but may add to your points.


Thus challenged, I made the following submission:

WHAT IS LEFT OF WHAT IS RIGHT?

What is left of what is right?
Nothing much, but a plight
By ants. Some taken to flight
To celebrate their fake might

From among them, a queen
Emerged without a screen
Soon bloated, fed on green
Shamelessly covered in sin.

(c)2014 Tijjani M. M.

Though I didn't win the contest, but my poem was selected among the hottest 19, which can be read below:

1.
what is left of what is right
questions asked eyes agape at night
when the fence went down at noon
did you see the remains of my son?
you watched in awe at the broken stones
another’s problem it is, not my own
what is left of what is right,
when i fail to see your pain or plight
~ Alexander Osinachi Al-yazid
2.
What is left of what is right
as they left you bruised and battered?
Did you think about
the blood, stain, dirt and rats
as you stood up for your principle
stood up for your state
stood up so brave for your right
regardless of your fate.
~ Jacob Timothy
3.
What is left of what is right?
When your day becomes cold as night
Who dare make good seem like evil
Your face turns rude but mind says civil
From those pillar of your guilt
To the pole of your erring feet
You cross the border that now I wonder
What is left of what is right?
~ Rich Alzy
4.
When I was judged worthy of the planks
By your fathers of earthly ranks
They forced death down my throat
But victory o’er death I boast
Then Pilates men still hunt my tracks
All with a whip and a rack
Makes me realize that what is left
Of what is right, is a lie
~ Salam Tiwistar Seun
5.
Should we remind you what you taught us
To hark not to them no matter the pressure?
You came out from them and pined for what is virtuous
Held it dearly like a precious treasure.
But the you I now see is like blown flakes,
Unstable as sea tides.
What Is Left of What is Right?
If not the shadow of thy old self.
~ Okeme Jerome Akpevwe
6.
Last century’s cotton worn
By oldies now rags,caged
In civilization den
Where curvy coast challenged
Sack to spit semen into domain
But what is now left of right after right being chased
Into the city where temple demands diamond, a sin?
~ Mesioye Affable Johnson
7.
Raped at whim against her will
Tears dried up,she cried on still
Not my sister,her pain won’t bite
It went down left,son turn head right
So Moral was left in her plight
In the hearts of men,conscience cleft
For what is left of what is right
Of what is right,none is left
~ Olisa Onye
8.
What is left of what is right
When life’s torrents, comes squashing in.
With no listening ear to hear your plight
What is left of what is right.
When your days soon turn into dark awful, gloomy nights,
When you’re being punished unjustly, behind the scene.
What is left of what is right,
When life’s torrents comes squashing in?
~ Ikirigo Sokari Jeremiah
9.
What is left of what is right
Left, right, left, right
What is left when right is left
And time defects what once was right
The tide takes strides till not is right
Winds, rewinds till not is left
Subject to the curse that decrees ‘retard’
To all that once was gay and bright
~ O’star Eze
10.
What is left of what is right
If I am judged in a kangaroo court?
If the ruler wears mask and prowls in the night
Is the entire populace in safe hands?
If the law court is purchased
By unscrupulous,potbellied subspecies of humanity
And money is allocated for building prisons,
Then what is left of what is right is anarchy.
~ Marvel Chukwudi Pephel
11.
We stalk at night,
by candlelight,
the poets write,
the poet’s right..
…
Deep inside
the craggy cleft,
we do what’s right
with what is left
~ Wyllowe Wylde
12.
Hopes are candles blown
Off the districts of illumination
Faiths are muffled rags
standing as Christmas wears
Gatherers of multi-wealths
are foolers of innocent thumbs
So when all is a lie
what is left of what is right?
~ Adedayo Adeyemi Agarau
13.
Life has on a garment of rags
which trails her feet
on poverty’s lane it drags
her shrill voice asking
“what is left of what is right?”
is it that poor child’s plight
we fail to see
or the sight of love we have long forgotten
~ Shade Mary-Ann Olaoye
14.
They come in white apparels and gowns
To heal these ailing men and towns
Masquerades holding unto the staff of power
To prey on those who evacuate to their tower
Our ears now choked with sweet tales of genocide
Seemingly random as insects littering the terrazzo from insecticide
What is left of what is right?
Nothing but their crying sword igniting each day our fright.
~ Olanrewaju Moses-Poet
15.
Damnable darkness, fuelled by the fussy homo sapiens
Who, like the pregnant night, fertilizes the eggs of jaundice.
Light overshadows darkness…
Promiscuity isn’t in the gene of a pregnatress.
The salt is devoured of its taste.
Spare the rhetoric, deceit only breeds distaste.
What is left of what is right?
Nothing but chaotic chants…
~ Abel Iseyen Ancientman
16.
Broken songs-stitched hopes
Fondling rhythms from wailing hearts,
Remnants of betoken smiles
Engaged nights-divorced dreams,
Shadows of unkind fears
Lost in the anthem of loveless deceit,
what is left of what is right?
Debris of stagnant dreams
~ Moses Chibueze Opara
17.
i see smokes snaking slow
up from war flames,papa
they are not waking not
again,to starch their wrapper
no rain, rain go away
song but silence of dead plural
for i’ve warmed dry with the hiss fires
left of “what is right”
~ David Red-blue Blur Odiase
18.
What is left of what is right?
In this country where the right
Are made to live in shite
What is left of what is right?
When request comes in fat envelopes
And Thanksgiving, a widow’s might
What is left of what is right? deceit
Where’s the evidence that white is white?
~ Kay Ugwuzor
19.
What is left of what is right?
Nothing much, but a plight
By ants. Some taken to flight
To celebrate their fake might
From among them, a queen
Emerged without a screen
Soon bloated, fed on green
Shamelessly covered in sin.
~ Tijjani Muhammad Musa
- See more at: http://college.wrr.ng/19-poets-ask-what-is-left-of-what-is-right/#sthash.hJVduGzK.dpuf

1.
what is left of what is right
questions asked eyes agape at night
when the fence went down at noon
did you see the remains of my son?

you watched in awe at the broken stones
another’s problem it is, not my own
what is left of what is right,
when i fail to see your pain or plight
~ Alexander Osinachi Al-yazid

2.
What is left of what is right
as they left you bruised and battered?
Did you think about
the blood, stain, dirt and rats
as you stood up for your principle
stood up for your state
stood up so brave for your right
regardless of your fate.
~ Jacob Timothy

3.
What is left of what is right?
When your day becomes cold as night
Who dare make good seem like evil
Your face turns rude but mind says civil

From those pillar of your guilt
To the pole of your erring feet
You cross the border that now I wonder
What is left of what is right?
~ Rich Alzy

4.
When I was judged worthy of the planks
By your fathers of earthly ranks
They forced death down my throat
But victory o’er death I boast

Then Pilates men still hunt my tracks
All with a whip and a rack
Makes me realize that what is left
Of what is right, is a lie
~ Salam Tiwistar Seun

5.
Should we remind you what you taught us
To hark not to them no matter the pressure?
You came out from them and pined for what is virtuous
Held it dearly like a precious treasure.

But the you I now see is like blown flakes,
Unstable as sea tides.
What Is Left of What is Right?
If not the shadow of thy old self.
~ Okeme Jerome Akpevwe

6.
Last century’s cotton worn
By oldies now rags,caged
In civilization den
Where curvy coast challenged
Sack to spit semen into domain
But what is now left of right after right being chased
Into the city where temple demands diamond, a sin?
~ Mesioye Affable Johnson

7.
Raped at whim against her will
Tears dried up,she cried on still
Not my sister,her pain won’t bite
It went down left,son turn head right

So Moral was left in her plight
In the hearts of men,conscience cleft
For what is left of what is right
Of what is right,none is left
~ Olisa Onye

8.
What is left of what is right
When life’s torrents, comes squashing in.
With no listening ear to hear your plight
What is left of what is right.

When your days soon turn into dark awful, gloomy nights,
When you’re being punished unjustly, behind the scene.
What is left of what is right,
When life’s torrents comes squashing in?
~ Ikirigo Sokari Jeremiah

9.
What is left of what is right
Left, right, left, right
What is left when right is left
And time defects what once was right
The tide takes strides till not is right
Winds, rewinds till not is left
Subject to the curse that decrees ‘retard’
To all that once was gay and bright
~ O’star Eze

10.
What is left of what is right
If I am judged in a kangaroo court?
If the ruler wears mask and prowls in the night
Is the entire populace in safe hands?

If the law court is purchased
By unscrupulous,potbellied subspecies of humanity
And money is allocated for building prisons,
Then what is left of what is right is anarchy.
~ Marvel Chukwudi Pephel

11.
We stalk at night,
by candlelight,
the poets write,
the poet’s right..
…
Deep inside
the craggy cleft,
we do what’s right
with what is left
~ Wyllowe Wylde

12.
Hopes are candles blown
Off the districts of illumination

Faiths are muffled rags
standing as Christmas wears

Gatherers of multi-wealths
are foolers of innocent thumbs

So when all is a lie
what is left of what is right?
~ Adedayo Adeyemi Agarau

13.
Life has on a garment of rags
which trails her feet
on poverty’s lane it drags
her shrill voice asking
“what is left of what is right?”
is it that poor child’s plight
we fail to see
or the sight of love we have long forgotten
~ Shade Mary-Ann Olaoye

14.
They come in white apparels and gowns
To heal these ailing men and towns

Masquerades holding unto the staff of power
To prey on those who evacuate to their tower

Our ears now choked with sweet tales of genocide
Seemingly random as insects littering the terrazzo from insecticide

What is left of what is right?
Nothing but their crying sword igniting each day our fright.
~ Olanrewaju Moses-Poet

15.
Damnable darkness, fuelled by the fussy homo sapiens
Who, like the pregnant night, fertilizes the eggs of jaundice.
Light overshadows darkness…
Promiscuity isn’t in the gene of a pregnatress.
The salt is devoured of its taste.
Spare the rhetoric, deceit only breeds distaste.
What is left of what is right?
Nothing but chaotic chants…
~ Abel Iseyen Ancientman

16.
Broken songs-stitched hopes
Fondling rhythms from wailing hearts,
Remnants of betoken smiles
Engaged nights-divorced dreams,
Shadows of unkind fears
Lost in the anthem of loveless deceit,
what is left of what is right?
Debris of stagnant dreams
~ Moses Chibueze Opara

17.
i see smokes snaking slow
up from war flames,papa
they are not waking not
again,to starch their wrapper

no rain, rain go away
song but silence of dead plural
for i’ve warmed dry with the hiss fires
left of “what is right”
~ David Red-blue Blur Odiase

18.
What is left of what is right?
In this country where the right
Are made to live in shite
What is left of what is right?
When request comes in fat envelopes
And Thanksgiving, a widow’s might
What is left of what is right? deceit
Where’s the evidence that white is white?
~ Kay Ugwuzor

19.
What is left of what is right?
Nothing much, but a plight
By ants. Some taken to flight
To celebrate their fake might

From among them, a queen
Emerged without a screen
Soon bloated, fed on green
Shamelessly covered in sin.
~ Tijjani Muhammad Musa

That's the story behind that one. :)

These poems were written as THEME CHALLENGE (#TC) class work on ‘WHAT IS LEFT OF WHAT IS RIGHT?’ in the WRRPoetry College on Sept. 17th, 2014.
- See more at: http://college.wrr.ng/19-poets-ask-what-is-left-of-what-is-right/#sthash.hJVduGzK.dpuf

1.
what is left of what is right
questions asked eyes agape at night
when the fence went down at noon
did you see the remains of my son?
you watched in awe at the broken stones
another’s problem it is, not my own
what is left of what is right,
when i fail to see your pain or plight
~ Alexander Osinachi Al-yazid
2.
What is left of what is right
as they left you bruised and battered?
Did you think about
the blood, stain, dirt and rats
as you stood up for your principle
stood up for your state
stood up so brave for your right
regardless of your fate.
~ Jacob Timothy
3.
What is left of what is right?
When your day becomes cold as night
Who dare make good seem like evil
Your face turns rude but mind says civil
From those pillar of your guilt
To the pole of your erring feet
You cross the border that now I wonder
What is left of what is right?
~ Rich Alzy
4.
When I was judged worthy of the planks
By your fathers of earthly ranks
They forced death down my throat
But victory o’er death I boast
Then Pilates men still hunt my tracks
All with a whip and a rack
Makes me realize that what is left
Of what is right, is a lie
~ Salam Tiwistar Seun
5.
Should we remind you what you taught us
To hark not to them no matter the pressure?
You came out from them and pined for what is virtuous
Held it dearly like a precious treasure.
But the you I now see is like blown flakes,
Unstable as sea tides.
What Is Left of What is Right?
If not the shadow of thy old self.
~ Okeme Jerome Akpevwe
6.
Last century’s cotton worn
By oldies now rags,caged
In civilization den
Where curvy coast challenged
Sack to spit semen into domain
But what is now left of right after right being chased
Into the city where temple demands diamond, a sin?
~ Mesioye Affable Johnson
7.
Raped at whim against her will
Tears dried up,she cried on still
Not my sister,her pain won’t bite
It went down left,son turn head right
So Moral was left in her plight
In the hearts of men,conscience cleft
For what is left of what is right
Of what is right,none is left
~ Olisa Onye
8.
What is left of what is right
When life’s torrents, comes squashing in.
With no listening ear to hear your plight
What is left of what is right.
When your days soon turn into dark awful, gloomy nights,
When you’re being punished unjustly, behind the scene.
What is left of what is right,
When life’s torrents comes squashing in?
~ Ikirigo Sokari Jeremiah
9.
What is left of what is right
Left, right, left, right
What is left when right is left
And time defects what once was right
The tide takes strides till not is right
Winds, rewinds till not is left
Subject to the curse that decrees ‘retard’
To all that once was gay and bright
~ O’star Eze
10.
What is left of what is right
If I am judged in a kangaroo court?
If the ruler wears mask and prowls in the night
Is the entire populace in safe hands?
If the law court is purchased
By unscrupulous,potbellied subspecies of humanity
And money is allocated for building prisons,
Then what is left of what is right is anarchy.
~ Marvel Chukwudi Pephel
11.
We stalk at night,
by candlelight,
the poets write,
the poet’s right..
…
Deep inside
the craggy cleft,
we do what’s right
with what is left
~ Wyllowe Wylde
12.
Hopes are candles blown
Off the districts of illumination
Faiths are muffled rags
standing as Christmas wears
Gatherers of multi-wealths
are foolers of innocent thumbs
So when all is a lie
what is left of what is right?
~ Adedayo Adeyemi Agarau
13.
Life has on a garment of rags
which trails her feet
on poverty’s lane it drags
her shrill voice asking
“what is left of what is right?”
is it that poor child’s plight
we fail to see
or the sight of love we have long forgotten
~ Shade Mary-Ann Olaoye
14.
They come in white apparels and gowns
To heal these ailing men and towns
Masquerades holding unto the staff of power
To prey on those who evacuate to their tower
Our ears now choked with sweet tales of genocide
Seemingly random as insects littering the terrazzo from insecticide
What is left of what is right?
Nothing but their crying sword igniting each day our fright.
~ Olanrewaju Moses-Poet
15.
Damnable darkness, fuelled by the fussy homo sapiens
Who, like the pregnant night, fertilizes the eggs of jaundice.
Light overshadows darkness…
Promiscuity isn’t in the gene of a pregnatress.
The salt is devoured of its taste.
Spare the rhetoric, deceit only breeds distaste.
What is left of what is right?
Nothing but chaotic chants…
~ Abel Iseyen Ancientman
16.
Broken songs-stitched hopes
Fondling rhythms from wailing hearts,
Remnants of betoken smiles
Engaged nights-divorced dreams,
Shadows of unkind fears
Lost in the anthem of loveless deceit,
what is left of what is right?
Debris of stagnant dreams
~ Moses Chibueze Opara
17.
i see smokes snaking slow
up from war flames,papa
they are not waking not
again,to starch their wrapper
no rain, rain go away
song but silence of dead plural
for i’ve warmed dry with the hiss fires
left of “what is right”
~ David Red-blue Blur Odiase
18.
What is left of what is right?
In this country where the right
Are made to live in shite
What is left of what is right?
When request comes in fat envelopes
And Thanksgiving, a widow’s might
What is left of what is right? deceit
Where’s the evidence that white is white?
~ Kay Ugwuzor
19.
What is left of what is right?
Nothing much, but a plight
By ants. Some taken to flight
To celebrate their fake might
From among them, a queen
Emerged without a screen
Soon bloated, fed on green
Shamelessly covered in sin.
~ Tijjani Muhammad Musa
These poems were written as THEME CHALLENGE (#TC) class work on ‘WHAT IS LEFT OF WHAT IS RIGHT?’ in the WRRPoetry College on Sept. 17th, 2014.
- See more at: http://college.wrr.ng/19-poets-ask-what-is-left-of-what-is-right/#sthash.hJVduGzK.