Once upon a time Poem

Once upon a time

By Gabriel Okara 

Once upon a time, son

 they used to laugh with their hearts

 and laugh with their eyes;

but now they only laugh with their teeth,

while their ice - block - cold eyes

search behind my shadow.

There was a time indeed

they used to shake hands without hearts

but that’s gone, son.

Now they shake hands without hearts

while their left hands search my empty pockets.

 Feel at home “Come again.”

 they say, and when I come

 again and feel

at home, once, twice,

there will be no thrice

for then I find the doors shut on me.

 

So, I have learnt many things, son.

I have learned to wear many faces

like dresses - homeface,

Officeface, streetface, hostface.

Cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles

 like a fixed portrait smile.

 

And I have learned, too,

to laugh with only my teeth

and shake hands without my heart.

I have also learnt to say. ‘Goodbye”

 when I mean ' Good - riddance ‘;

to say “Glad to meet you’

 without being glad; and to say ' It's been

 nice talking to you, ' after being bored.

 

But believe me, son,

 I want to be what I used to be

when I was like you. I want

 to unlearn all these muting things.

Most of all, I want to releam

how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror

shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fangs!

 

So show me, son

how to laugh; show me how

 I used to laugh and smile

once upon a time when I was like you.