Poem — ode (hunter)
Ode ni ọ̀nà ẹ̀dá àti àṣẹ,
Hunting, the ancient path of survival and strength,
Ẹni tí ó wọ àwọn igbó dudu,
One who enters the deep forest, seeking life in shadows.
Ohun tí ode rí, ẹlẹ́gbára ò lè rí,
What the hunter sees, the fearful cannot behold,
Ọwọ́ rẹ̀ ni òṣó, ọwọ́ rẹ̀ ni ìbáàdọ̀,
His hands are skillful, his aim is true.
Tí o bá lọ l’áàrin igbo, ẹlẹ́dá ló mọ̀,
In the heart of the forest, only the brave survives,
Igbo ń sọ̀rọ̀, ẹranko ń bọ,
The forest speaks, and the animals move in silence.
Ode mọ̀ pé ilé nlá ni igbó,
The hunter knows the forest is a vast home,
Ohun gbogbo n gbe, èdá àti alájẹ ti ilẹ̀,
Life breathes there — both beast and man bound to earth.
Ẹsẹ̀ ode ní àkókò kì í ṣe lásán,
The hunter’s steps are never wasted in the wild,
Tí ode ba ń tọ̀rìn, gbogbo ohun ń kọrin,
When the hunter tracks, the earth sings its song.
Ode jẹ́ ẹni amúra, ẹni tí o ń fetí gb’aye,
The hunter listens to the whispers of the world,
Ẹ̀rù n’ilẹ̀ ayé tí o lè rí, tí ẹ̀kọ́ ode ni o ṣe,
Master of patience, reading the land’s every mark.
Gbogbo odò ni omi rẹ̀, gbogbo igbo ni ẹranko rẹ̀,
Every river has its water, every forest its prey,
Ọmọ ode ń yígbé wọ̀, o ń mú ayé wá sí’lé,
The hunter returns with life, his reward from the earth.
Àṣà ode l’ó mùrà di ọ̀nà̀,
Hunting is not just skill, it is culture,
Àwọn ìrìnkèrindò ọ̀dẹ jẹ́ ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ àsà ayé,
The hunter’s journey is the beginning of human survival.
Bi ode kò bá ṣe, ẹranko yóò dágbà tó,
Without the hunter, the beasts will overgrow,
Ọ̀pá ode ni ìdápọ̀ àti àkókò,
The hunter’s spear binds time and balance together.
Ode mọ̀ pé ayé nlọ, nítorí náà ó máa lọ,
The hunter knows the world moves, so he must move too,
Kí igbó jẹ ayé rẹ̀, kí igi jẹ àṣírí rẹ̀,
Let the forest be his world, the trees his cover.
Ẹni tí o lepa ayé nínú igbó,
He who chases life in the woods,
Ẹni tí ó mọ̀ pé ó jẹ́ aṣáájú, ẹni tí ko jẹ́ àdàní,
Is one who leads, never one left behind.
Ode jẹ́ àṣà tí kò le parun,
Hunting is a tradition that will never fade,
Ọ̀nà ayé, ipa agbára,
The path of life, the mark of strength.
