Living in the 21st Century (2): The Writer's Soliloquy

Louis Egbe Mbua

Any person has the right to pick up his pen to write,

But a fool writes without knowing why he writes;

And the skilled tells the audience why he writes.

A wise writer selects his words carefully;

But a fool is bombastic, loud and vulgar.

A fool always writes for himself;

But the wise writes for the audience.

While a fool thumps his chest as he writes;

A talented one masks his skills;

While pretending he knows not what he does.

A fool claims to know when he actually knows not;

But the wise actually knows but pretends to know not.

A fool does not detach himself from his writing;

But the wise writes with no attachment to his writing.

A wise man respects his audience;

But the unabashed fool insults his audience.


Good ideas are borne from the heart;

Not from the head! Do not write from your head!

Write from the heart;

‘Cause resides there the Soul.

Falsehood corrupts the heart;

But truth cleanses the Soul.


It is important that a man broadens his mind;

In order that he is not misled by the unidirectional blind;

Into a bottomless pit: of insouciance and pestilence.

Eritrea, Somalia, Cameroon, the UK are all about human beings;

So to believe that their actions and impacts do not influence;

The world is like saying that there can be people without women.

A man must understand the fundamental behaviour of humans

In the entire universe: to discuss issues pertaining to humans

In his own geographical confinement;

Failing this is chasing after the wind.

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