Wednesday 21 May 2008

Artlessness Is Departed

I held a cold glass of Guinness, smoking a cigarette and gazing coldly athwart
I saw them as they did a promenade on foot, holding books in their other hands
Her hand was held in his as he swung it gently guiding her beside him
I looked at his face as he peered into hers. I saw the gleam in his eye

When we once loved purely and blameless, with virtue and honesty
When the words in the love epistles had no ulterior motives
Hiding and talking endlessly on the house phone deep into the hours of darkness
Yet unable to say to her anything above a Hi and a smile in school the next day

Lunchtime, we strengthen our comradeship, sharing private jokes & telling secrets
Walking across the school field with my hand across his neck, on his shoulders
We stop and I’m wincing as he tries to unplug a sebum in a hair follicle on my face
He is unmindful of the intensity of the passion I feel for his older sister

Putting my hand across my friend’s shoulder now is almost forbidden for its gayness
Any of such physical closeness might present us as queer in reputation.
She and I must be sleeping together if we embrace or are seen coming out of an abode
My phone rings, young female voice, wrong number & I’m thinking about sex with her

I do not know if I miss the days when we dwelt in incorruptibility and naïveté
When the husband of my mother’s friend’s does not think I want to lay with his wife
When I could use the word homosexual and not be sexually discriminatory
When the use of contraceptives was still an obscurity and porn a taboo
And when love was deeply romantic, affectionate and true

Innocence has left the building

52 comments:

Tyger said...

firstttttttttttttttttttttttt!

yipeeeeeeeeeee!

i tagged you on my blog.. so go there!

Lighty 'neferet' Kopearl said...

damn right it has. the world is a scary shitty place, i say it is fast coming to an end.

u dare call me a MAN baroque. datz it, i av forbidden myself ur blog. unless u beg mi of course, then i will reconsider. what? did i hear u say sorry??? uhhh?

if u want to read the conclusion on the maid story, arrange urself on my blog. tho i warn u, u probably wuld be unhappy wen u finish. i av been told to give warning.

guerreiranigeriana said...

i do love the way you wrote this...i had to read it a couple of times...innocence is gone indeed...i do long for the 'good ole days' of pure and genuine love...uh, the various sex positions included...shei they've been around since forever;)...

ablackjamesbond said...

The good old days.

My brother, thgs don spoil. You can't speak a sentence these days without worrying about political corectness.

Na wa o.

Jay said...

Its so true....growing up does that to you. Everything is analysed and given a reason...you can't do anything without someone thinking you have a mortive....very nicely written post, subtle.

bArOquE said...

@tygy, yea, gurlfy, i've seen it...i kinda noticed that almost everyone in blogsville had been tagged to do that post except me, then you came along...you make me feel special..x

@lighty444%, pls try & understand that i had to be sure it was you, the fair fine chikito i know you to be, talking about doing a man's deed...i've seen the end & it wasnt as bad common...ok it was abit moving

@gnaija, thanks babe, &they've been flexing sexual positions since like forever...so you read the post how many times?

@blak007, i know but who wants to be politically correct...what the heck, whether na Knorr or Royco, all na still Maggi...even Ajinomoto sef

@jarrai, yea, one of those things that come with growing up...thanks

you know what, i started this post at work yesterday & posted it before lunch. i was stressed & needed to take my mind off work for a bit. good to hear that you guys think its nicely written

Jaja said...

This is grand.

I have often thought about stuff like this, and its quite interesting to read your thoughts today.

This sense of lost innocence is a mark of modern life and modern living. Acute self consciousness and wariness thaat borders on something else that am not certain of.

I bump along as I navigate my way throiugh this modern living; I know nothing of Political correctness.

RYC: You called me vile??? I will turn the other cheek today. Just today.
This your post has lent me a quite sombre mood of reflection. I will shake it off soon enough and come for you. Militant boy.

O'Dee said...

innocence has indeed left d building.

I find it hard 2 walk hand-in-hand with my girlfriend, cos of what pple will think.

guerreiranigeriana said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
guerreiranigeriana said...

haha...just two times...my nephew was distracting me...glad you agree about the sex positions...i sometimes wish i'd been born before aids/hiv was the big hoopla it is...i feel sorry for the next generation...the way things are going, they won't even have sex!!!...imagine...abassiekan (sp?)...

Lighty 'neferet' Kopearl said...

lol! ok u didnt straight up say sorry but i forgive u obviously coz am back.

well i took that advice from the first comment i got, so i thot to use it.

thank God u didnt cry, ahhh wot a relief. alas ur balls r still intact still the strong man i know u 2 be lol!

now its 444%? no complaining i could deal wit 444. call me wen its 1000 tho. ha ha ha muahxxx.

Nigerian Drama Queen said...

This was refreshing. You write with such simplistic elegance-and you are quite the narrator.
What I find sad-is not only the end of the age of innocence; but the fact that thanks to cable, MTV and the like- this new generation may never know of this virtue..

bArOquE said...

@misterjaja, feels good when fine writers like you compliment people like us. thanks...i also do the bumping along across the meadows of modern living...like i said, who wants to be politically correct when we all have our opinions...

...me militant? for all we know, when you were away from blogsville, you might have been training in one militia camp somewhere in Southern Ijaw...

go make you come

@oluwadee, wetin dey worry you? common hold ya girl waist, no dey look her say her name na Ekaete! unless na another person lawn you dey mow.

@gnaija, *closes dic after checkin hoopla* ...about next gen, do you mean vaginal sex? (i wonder what sex originally meant) the world is done...its way beyond P&T

@lighty445%, i've added one...oya SORRY, NO VEX & welcome...no i didnt cry,i just might be stronger than you think *winks*...well, i dunno about it getting to 1000%

@NDQ, ...simplistic elegance..my head dey swell small sha...i feel for the next generation but i'm hoping that, as they say, it will all evolve (like fashion) back to status quo...there's a GOD somewhere

ibiluv said...

it has hasnt it???????

Afrobabe said...

Too bad u grew up and errrrmmm matured in places!!!

Afrobabe said...

Note to self **** need to check the meaning of athwart

The Activist said...

Well, innocence has not completely left the building. Some of us still pay a deaf ear to all negative comments and opinions that will not make you get free with people around you if I may say so.

Na wa with the 1st paragraph o. Beer and Ciga combined

Tyger said...

you special man! dont be doubting that!

okay... the post... deep.. poetic... beautiful times of innocence... i confuse small.

Joy Akut said...

i sometimes crave for the days of childhood innocence.
how sweet oblivion used to be.
now i cant hug an uncle without having this feeling that his wife is staring daggers at me.

oh sweet days of childhood, where art thou?

bArOquE said...

@ibiluv, my dear, it so has...but we'll do fine...its criminal at this age (depends on ones age) to be naive

@afrobabe, i had no choice in that, i couldn't stop myself from growing.

@standtall, i wish i knew what you meant...???

@my tygeress, i doubt not...&no confooze too much abeg...funny thing, we couldn't wait to get here, not knowing we were leaving past the beautiful times of innocence behind...now we complain

@fanatsyqueen, a chic hugging her dad can even raise eye brows...my dear, to the pure all things are pure, & to the depraved all things are so

Porter deHarqourt said...

a nice post about spilled milk.

no mind me, i dey for 'blog critic'. but the truth is those days are gone forever, my brother. our loss of innocence is nitel'ss loss of revenue.

long time my man. u good?

bArOquE said...

ROTFLMAO@"our loss of innocence is NITEL's loss of revenue", porterd'h, the people sef been dey strike recently...lets know and be strong as we dwell in these days of decadence, when the world is constantly being depraved...i dey, my guy?...TAKE ONE BEER FOR MY HEAD NAA

The Activist said...

Which one don't u understand? the fact that you said "I held a cold glass of Guinness, smoking a cigarette...". And me wonder that you smoke and drink?

or that dont mind the way pple interpret situations eg why u hug a married person, or why you are still a very with your female friend who now happens to be married?

I cant believe I speak in riddles (lol)

LemonadeGirl said...

quite true and beautifully put...

One can't express an honest opinion without hoping they haven't offended another

And I'm finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that innocence is long lost... Not just to us but to the generation after us... I can't really say I'm 100% certain my younger sister will ever live in a time of uncorruptibility and politcal 'unawareness'... Lol... Its a sad truth

Lovin the blog!
x

soupasexy said...

cool blog!

Porter deHarqourt said...

Lol! my man, u may yet hear my skit on that album. 4 real. i don take one sha, remaining 4 u to pay...i no fit wash glass!

UnNaked Soul said...

I am semi-innocent... does this count?

I don't want to be innocent, but I want others to be... where does that leave me?

guerreiranigeriana said...

hmmmnnn....i thought i meant vaginal sex...but then i guess i meant oral too...dunno if i meant anal since i don't engage in such (i'm not passing any judgement on those who do...i just don't think i want to engage in it)...what was original sex?...great question...

..in fact i hadn't even thought about it...i was really moreso getting at the fact that with all the diseases surrounding sex these days, and demonization and simultaneous commodification and cheapening of sex, folks might just opt to join sperm and egg medically-in a petri dish...i have heard that there are some orthodox jewish couples who have children and have never had sex...immagine!...

bArOquE said...

@standtall, from your standpoint as an activist, i thought you'd be more passionate about the matter...you say, innocence hasn't quite left but then you admit to people projecting such negativity & suspicion & you let them...holla

@lemonadegal, its all about being politically correct...i'm cool with things said like 'physically challenged' as against 'disabled' but no time wey ajinomoto become maggi...ur sister (depends on her age & environment) might've gone past the age of blamelessness...good to know that u love my blog, thanks

@soupasexy, i love you too...*smiles from ear to ear*

@porterd'h, you do skits? what kind?...which kind glass wey you go wash, when gutter dey wey you go clean LOL...put your nyash for that chair, wither naa, take one beer for my head, again

@unNaked, i'd rather see you as unInnocent...it leaves you as having some kind of paedophilic tendencies

@gnaija, in these days the type of sex (it has types you know) has to be mentioned...no matter the kind of disease or whatever the reason may be, i ain't giving up sex, not for the world, not me

The Activist said...

Guess we are speaking from different perspectives. Mine is that there are pple that will hug u, talk to you with nothing criminal in their hearts as opposed to the negativity that is being projected by others

dat 1 okrika babe said...

Reading this made me think is it just the so-called modern technological world that has lost its innocence or the whole world. Do the so-called third world countries suffer from having to be politically correct all the time? I remember a friend that came from naija in 2004, the first time we took him out he was wearing a pink shirt and we were all making fun of him, asking him is he gay, why are you wearing a woman's color and other comment like that. I’m sure when he was picking out something to wear the guy wasn’t even thinking if I wear this color people might perceive me as gay or soft.
Anyway of course as we all know now in 2008 wearing a pink shirt is what all cool metrosexual men do in the U.S.

bArOquE said...

@standtall, i see what you mean, i misread something...why some people can't hug you anymore because they are now married or because he's around...i hug whosoever i damn well please although it could be different for women in a way, esp in these parts

@DOKG.XYZ, i think the loss of innocence is after you get beyond a certain stage and see things in a certain way, esp from other people's eyes...you guys should leave the guy, wetin be that?...i think i've got 3pink shirts, & i look so damn good in them, you need to see me...

Alias said...

me likey.....true talk.... everything has been said... and we all hate political correctness but we are overlooking the reason y there is political correctness in the first palce, it is a bother but it helps us get along easier... truth is truth...

Flourishing Florida said...

love is still deeply romantic, affectionate & true o

bArOquE said...

i have seen what the cat dragged in, i understand the need to be politically correct but my dear, truth na truth

@fff, in certain situations love still is deeply romantic, affectionate and true but it hardly ever is the case, even amongst newly weds

thanks girls for visiting, please do drop by again soon...u just might find some new read

ablackjamesbond said...

lol@ the comment u left @ Atutu's...
...when u dey buy my beer now?

Zena said...

I love the way you write, you words are simply yet paint the picture clearly,
Innocence has indeed left the building, this was beautiful

bumight said...

at some point in time, innocence leaves for all of us. We can just pray/try to ensure that it leaves quite late for our children and younger ones.


innocence left a long time ago when Adam ate the fruit!

Original Mgbeke said...

Chei Oga Baroque, Innocence has truly left the building and I just weak. I truly miss those days when we were young and blissfully unaware.

bArOquE said...

@black007, my broad when you wan drink the beer naa?...you wey dey prescribe shepz ko? you be bad man.

@zena, thanks a mill...glad you apprish the simpleness

@bumight, do u mean when Eve ate the fruit? you women are responsible oh

@yea mgbeks, I know how you mean babe

flawsandall said...

it sure has..
shit..innocenece has left me..sometimes I miss its company :(

ablackjamesbond said...

Baroque...no be so o...beer dey alright o...Shepz na for A22; to gi'am courage.

bArOquE said...

@bumighty, na una cause am oh...the nitwit Adam was jumping around with goats and squirrels while Eve was looking on in shame, before she gave him to eat...meanwhile i heard it was garden-egg that she gave him to eat abi na udara sef...LOL

@zephi, ...i'm rather enjoying my knowledge of its non-existence but i dont think i miss it that much...how sad is that?

@black007, ...to gi'am courage!...see the kind pidgin you dey speak, my papa dem type...this man, you grow for town?

ablackjamesbond said...

I kukukma grow for town o...but i been get plenti 'barracks raised' friends.

How ur weekend?

Any elbow bending?

cally-waffybabe said...

smoking's bad for you my baroque. *shakes head and wags finger vigorously atcha*

lovin' da pink shirts as well. thomas pink do some wicked ones- beli that mehn.

waddup? where you dey now?

hugs

xxx

bArOquE said...

@blakc007, which street for town you grow, i take style sabi town small...no dey follow barracks children oh, their own no good...my broda, which weekend? i work 7days a week but now i've got some time to myself...so it more kung foo fighting

@mycwb, mr.Yar Adua has just declared a 2y prison sentence for anyone caught smoking in public in Abuja (whatever smoking in public entails)...i've got this deep pink shirt i'm rocking on Saturday, you might want to meet up to apprish, not TP though, Jaeger...xo

badderchic said...

Deep deep talk, those days when I could walk my street topless?

The world is a sick one now, just gets you thinking....

Mrs Somebody said...

I wish I still had my innocence.....nice write up baroque.

guerreiranigeriana said...

you sef...you haven't updated...how are things?...

bArOquE said...

@badderchic,now that'll be something i'd luv to see, u topless :-) i know, the world has become quite sad place for we grown ups

@mrs.somebody, you wish what? you wey don dey chop the fruit fr a long time now...are you back to blogsville?...please do come back

@gnaija,i havent oh..so many things happening at the same time, plus woman matter too..will update in a mo (i hope)

Atutupoyoyo said...

Innocence has truly left the building my broda.

Fascinating post.

rethots said...

"Innocence has left the building" ...a very long time ago. But then, how did it happen?