But for difference in time
And the unwillingness to alter
The vastness of human history,
I would call you the Nomos of our time.
Son of Eunomia
Son of Themis
Son of Gomez
Son of Doherty…
I would call you the Nomos of our time.
Let the Keatians sing
Of Ode to the Nightingale
Let the Wordsworthians sing
Of Ode to Duty
Let the Shelleyians sing
Of Ode to the West Wind
But just give me the minstrel’s throne
That I may raconteur Pa. Gomez’s legal Odyssey
In poeto-legal language, fit and proper.
Talk of lawyers that lingered longer
That even Death found then stronger—
Talk of Lord Denning of England
That lived for a hundred years,
And I’ll speak of our Pa. Gomez—
Ninety, and counting.
Talk of Edgar Fay of England
That spanned a hundred and one,
And I’ll speak of our Pa. Gomez—
Ninety, and counting.
Talk of Jack Pope of America
That attained a hundred and two,
And I’ll speak of our Pa. Gomez—
Ninety, and counting.
So, when upon my minstrel’s throne
I sit with you to purge my raging tone,
With my poeto-legal lyre
And my Muse-invoking fire,
Grant me the leave
That I may speak freely of memories…
Of Alex Taylor in 1944
The whisperer that whispered
Becoming a lawyer into your ears;
Of the KC strike in 1948
Of Simon Olakunle & Fola Sasegbon
Of Minister Zonah in Cameroons
Of the judicial bravery of JIC Taylor
And of Madam Shapara and Lagos State
Nomos of our time
Fortunate Fortunatus
Mover of mighty motions
Matter of conscience
Advocatus dei
Son of Eunomia
Yet Son of Themis,
I would call you the Nomos of our time.
Let the Keatians talk
Of Ode to the Grecian Urn
And the Shelleyians sing
Of Ode to the West Wind,
I would sing you an ode
(Mightier than Keat’s, Wordsworth’s and Shelley’s)
About a period of 90 years well-spent
As an elder statesman of the Bar.
–Bolaji RAMOS, Esq.
Copyrighted 2018