YORUBA POETRY: ISE L'OOGUN ISE

This is arguably the most iconic Yoruba poem ever written. It teaches hard work, dignity of labour, self-reliance and explicitly highlights the consequences of a lackadaisical approach to life. There's no better time to share this poem than now when the savage tempo of our modern society is constantly pushing people into all sorts of trap to attain spurious eminence. ------------- Ise l'oogun ise Mura si se re, ore mi Ise la fi n d'eni giga Bi a ko ba r'eni fehin ti Bi ole la a ri Bi a ko ba r'eni gbekele, A te ra mo se ni. Iya re le lowo lowo Baba re le lesin lekan Ti o ba gbojule won O te tan ni mo so fun o Ohun ti a ko ba jiya fun Se kii le tojo Ohun ti a ba fara sise fun Ni npe lowo eni Apa lara igupa ni ye kan B'aiye ba fe o loni Ti o ba lowo lowo, won a tun fe o lola Abi ko wa nipo atata Aiye a ye o si terin terin Je ki o d'eni ti n rago Ko ri bi aiye ti nyin mu si o Eko si tun seni doga Mura ki o ko dara-dara Iya mbe fomo ti ko gbon Ekun mbe fomo ti o nsa kiri Ma f'owuro sere ore mi Mura s'ise ojo nlo.