JAMB Literature Poetry Once Upon a Time by Gabriel Okara. The poem you provided is “Once Upon a Time” by Gabriel Okara, a prominent Nigerian poet associated with first-generation African literature.
“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—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 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.”
“Once Upon a Time” is a reflective dramatic monologue in which a father speaks candidly to his son about the moral and emotional decline he has experienced in adulthood. The title deliberately echoes the fairy-tale opening formula — suggesting innocence, simplicity, and truth. However, instead of narrating a fantasy, the speaker recounts a painful moral transformation.
The poem contrasts two worlds:
- The world of childhood (authentic, spontaneous, emotionally transparent)
- The world of adulthood (calculated, hypocritical, socially manipulative)
The father recognises that he has been shaped by a society that rewards artificial behaviour. He regrets losing his sincerity and now turns to his son — who still embodies innocence — as a possible source of moral restoration.
SUBJECT MATTER
At its core, the poem explores the psychological and moral consequences of social conditioning.
The father describes how human interaction has changed over time. In the past, relationships were emotionally genuine — laughter came from the heart, and handshakes symbolised trust and goodwill. But in the present, gestures have become empty rituals. People laugh “with their teeth” while their eyes remain emotionally cold. They shake hands while secretly searching for personal gain.
This shift reflects a broader commentary on modern society — especially urban, postcolonial environments where survival often demands emotional restraint and strategic self-presentation.
The father’s experience reveals three major layers of change:
1. Emotional Disconnection
Human interactions have lost depth. Smiles and greetings are no longer expressions of warmth but social tools used to navigate situations.
2. Moral Compromise
The father has adapted to survive. He has learned to:
- Say things he does not mean
- Smile when he feels nothing
- Pretend politeness while hiding true feelings
This adaptation is not presented as villainy but as necessity. Society has compelled him to become artificial.
3. Identity Fragmentation
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect is the father’s admission that he now wears “many faces.” He no longer possesses a unified identity. Instead, he shifts personality depending on environment — home, office, street, social gatherings. This fragmentation suggests that adulthood, in modern society, requires performance rather than authenticity.
The emotional climax of the poem comes when the father admits he wants to “unlearn” these behaviours. His desire to relearn how to laugh sincerely suggests that beneath the artificial exterior, his conscience remains alive.
The son, therefore, becomes symbolic — not just a child, but innocence itself.
THEMES
1. Hypocrisy and Social Pretence
The poem exposes the culture of superficial politeness. Social phrases such as “Feel at home” and “Come again” are shown to be empty courtesies rather than genuine invitations.
Okara critiques the gap between appearance and reality.
2. Loss of Innocence
The father once possessed childlike sincerity. Over time, he has lost it. The poem suggests that adulthood, rather than bringing wisdom alone, often brings moral corruption.
3. Social Alienation
Despite constant social interaction, the father feels isolated. He cannot trust smiles, handshakes, or invitations. Human warmth has been replaced by suspicion.
4. Identity Crisis
The metaphor of wearing different faces reveals fractured identity. The speaker no longer knows his authentic self.
5. Desire for Redemption
Unlike a purely cynical poem, this one ends with hope. The father seeks transformation. He asks his son to teach him how to laugh genuinely again. This suggests that innocence, though damaged, is not entirely destroyed.
POETIC DEVICES
1. Metaphor
“Laugh with their teeth” — Symbolises insincere friendliness.
“Ice-block-cold eyes” — Represents emotional coldness.
“Wear many faces like dresses” — Suggests identity as performance.
These metaphors are central to understanding the poem’s moral argument.
2. Simile
“Like dresses” — Identity is worn and changed at will.
“Like a snake’s bare fangs” — His artificial smile resembles danger and hostility.
The snake simile introduces an unsettling image — suggesting that his smile is no longer human but predatory.
3. Imagery
The imagery is vivid and sensory:
- Cold eyes
- Empty pockets
- Shut doors
- Snake fangs
These images reinforce emotional discomfort.
4. Repetition
The phrase “I have learned” emphasizes forced adaptation.
The repetition of “son” creates intimacy and urgency.
5. Contrast (Juxtaposition)
The poem is structured around contrast:
| Past | Present |
|---|---|
| Laugh with hearts | Laugh with teeth |
| Shake hands with hearts | Shake hands without hearts |
| Warmth | Suspicion |
This structural contrast strengthens the poem’s central tension.
TONE AND MOOD
Tone: Regretful, reflective, confessional.
Mood: Somber, nostalgic, slightly hopeful at the end.
JAMB-STYLE OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. The father’s major regret in the poem is
A. poverty
B. loss of innocence
C. political corruption
D. unemployment
Answer: B
2. The expression “search behind my shadow” suggests
A. admiration
B. suspicion
C. respect
D. love
Answer: B
3. The “many faces” worn by the speaker symbolise
A. maturity
B. deception and adaptation
C. intelligence
D. pride
Answer: B
4. The central conflict in the poem is between
A. father and son
B. rich and poor
C. past sincerity and present hypocrisy
D. youth and education
Answer: C
5. The poem can best be described as
A. satirical
B. elegiac
C. didactic and reflective
D. epic
Answer: C
CONCLUSION
“Once Upon a Time” is not merely about fake smiles; it is a psychological exploration of how society reshapes identity. Through the father’s confession, Okara suggests that adulthood in modern society often demands emotional compromise.
However, the poem does not end in despair. The final appeal to the son indicates hope — that sincerity can still be relearned.
