POEM 1

Once Upon a Time – 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 with their 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 doors shut on me.

So I have learned many things, son.
I have learned to wear many faces
like dresses – home face,
office face, street face, host face,
cocktail face, 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 learned 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 relearn
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.

ANALYSIS OF GABRIEL OKARA’S ONCE UPON A TIME

Gabriel Okara’s poem “Once Upon a Time” delves into the themes of loss of innocence, cultural disillusionment, and the artificiality of modern relationships. Through the voice of a father speaking to his son, Okara contrasts the genuine warmth and sincerity of the past with the cold, insincere interactions of the present.

Structure and Form
The poem is written in free verse, which reflects the conversational tone of the speaker. The lack of a strict rhyme scheme or meter mirrors the poem’s theme of disintegration and loss, suggesting a world that has moved away from the natural rhythms of life.

Themes and Imagery

1. Nostalgia and Loss: The father begins by reminiscing about a time when people’s actions and emotions were genuine. He recalls a past where laughter was sincere (“they used to laugh with their hearts / and laugh with their eyes”), and handshakes were heartfelt. The use of “Once upon a time” gives the poem a fairy-tale-like beginning, immediately creating a sense of nostalgia for a lost past.
2. Artificiality and Insincerity: The father contrasts this warm past with the coldness of the present. Laughter has become mechanical (“they only laugh with their teeth”), and eyes that once mirrored the soul are now “ice-block-cold,” searching not for connection, but for hidden motives. The imagery here evokes a world where emotions have been replaced by a superficial performance, and genuine human connections are rare.
3. Cultural Disillusionment: The poem reflects the disillusionment that often comes with modernity and urbanization. The father mentions learning to wear “many faces / like dresses” for different social situations, indicating how he has had to adapt to a society that demands conformity and masks one’s true feelings. This multiplicity of faces represents a loss of self, where identity becomes fragmented and inauthentic.
4. Hypocrisy and Deception: The father has learned to mimic the insincerity he despises, saying “Goodbye” when he means “Good-riddance,” and pretending to be glad to meet people when he is not. This suggests a world where social niceties have replaced honest communication, leading to a deep sense of alienation and hypocrisy.

Tone and Voice
The tone of the poem is melancholic and reflective, with a tinge of bitterness. The father’s voice is weary, as he recounts the lessons he has learned in order to survive in a world that no longer values sincerity. The repetition of phrases like “I have learned” emphasizes the reluctance with which he has adopted these behaviors, underscoring the theme of loss.

Symbolism

• “Teeth” and “Eyes”: Teeth and eyes are used symbolically throughout the poem. Teeth, which are bared in insincere laughter, suggest a predatory or deceptive nature, while eyes, which once reflected genuine emotion, are now cold and calculating, symbolizing the loss of empathy and warmth.
• “Empty pockets”: The image of a handshake accompanied by a search for “empty pockets” symbolizes the transactional nature of modern relationships, where people are more interested in what they can gain materially rather than forming true connections.

Conclusion
is a powerful critique of modern society, lamenting the loss of authenticity and human connection in favor of superficial interactions. Through evocative imagery and a poignant narrative voice, Okara explores the deep sense of disillusionment that accompanies this shift. The father’s plea to his son reflects a desire to return to a simpler, more sincere time, highlighting the universal yearning for genuine human relationships in an increasingly artificial world. NEXT POEM

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