We, who have decided to go on with living life or dying along the path. We, who once walked on all fours to find nothing more than a sandwich and two pieces of ham. We, who saw the wounded and had no way to ease the suffering other than platitudes, and love letters. We, who have told and retold stories…
Category: Poetry
Musical Chairs
Somewhere a lost people send echoes of faded memory across the sea. And they dance to the rhythm of the pain of time, fractured. 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and Step and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and Step and 1. The rain, you said, reminds you of a time when you were young. When the…
to Appease the Humans
Bring your gods, Bring them so that we may feast on the blood of immortality. Bring them so we may devour them and bury them in a sea of error and chaos that was created by their dreams. Bring your gods leave none behind. Lay them at our feet that we may, one by one, examine them. Hold them up…
Briefing on Going Back
Going back is always hardest when you forgot to leave breadcrumbs to begin with. Going back, like going forward, involves groping in the dark. Many times it also involves failing to arrive at a point that is any better illuminated than the initial confusion. When you go back it takes three times as much energy and two times as much…
Reflections
Her tongue has spoken in languages that they know from a previous life. It’s not that they don’t understand her but rather they realise that, in understanding, they will have knowledge of themselves. And, in having knowledge of themselves, they will be able to see themselves in the mirror. Mirror on the wall who is the fairest of a small…
Questions on Love
How is love measured? Can I send for a gunia of love from marikiti? Or do the middle merchants swindle those who grow it? Is love transferrable? If, say, a person had several ounces of love, the purest kind, would they be a target? What if everyone had a secret stash of love hidden away? Who would be the target?…
Pluto
For the wandering planet with a lost heart. For the wandering planet with a lost heart. For a wandering heart lost within the planet For the wandering lost planet’s heart For the planet wondering about its lost heart For the hurting wondering what happened to the planet. For a planet, hurt and in wonder. For wanderlust in a heart –…
Still
The big black Kenyan man. The big black Kenyan man is The big black Kenyan man is invincible. The big black Kenyanmanis invincible . ThebigblackKenyanmanisinvincible.ThebigblackKenyanmanisinvincibleThebigblackKenyanmanisinvincible.ThebigblackKenyanmanisinvinciblethebigblackKenyanmanisinvincible.hebigblackKenyanmanisinvincibleThebigblackKenyanmanisinvinsibleThebigblackKenyanmanisinvincibleThebigblackKenyanmanisinvincible.ThebigblackKenyanmanisinvincible. And then a word and then a cut and then another. And then pain. And display of pain. Still, it’s okay. It’s a big black Kenyan man. A big black Kenyan man. And the big…
Agor (a response)
In response to Kofi Anyidoho’s Agor from “The place we call home” Unlistening the wind continues to blow. And the royal palm stands defiant, using the wind to spread seed. Maybe a palm can’t break the wind. But a forest can.
Reading Queer Africa
A man on the bus reaches across to turn the book I’m reading on it’s front, you know, the way someone does when they want to see what book you’re reading? Yes. Oh. Okay. A dis ease. (dis ease, disease – a question: where lies the real ailment?) 20 minutes of a bus ride endure shifts, shiftings and questioning…