THE CONVICTION OF A CROW

Once a crow called a verdict:
A verdict to all birds
A credit to self

He told all lesser birds “eat not meat but fruits”
He told all larger birds “eat not fruits but meat”
While serving self both meat and fruits

Then the crow became a victim on this conviction
And that is why he is a convict
For all birds are on his verdict

He is adamant yet on exit
He will be soon an evict
Sooner or later...

© AHMED KASSIM

Ahmed Kassim, born and schooled from Wajir, is an enthusiastic poet who believes that a noble thought is the product of noble mental images said with utmost brevity. His love for poetry was ignited by the childhood stories he and his friends either listened to or narrated in turn after breaks from Qura’nic slate reading sessions; this  love would later develop into an urge to express the constant injustices committed against his people especially the melancholy of Wagalla massacre.

 Ahmed K who currently works with Media Council of Kenya is a poet, a Journalist and a media analyst. His Poems were published on nation Media group Sunday Buzz Magazine and on web www.voicesnet.org (http://www.voicesnet.org/poetrydisplay.aspx?poemid=215733)

THIS DISTANCE

Like the night dreams of the light
But time parts the two
Like the moon sobs for the sun
The day parts the two
Or like that dark dove obsessed with the white
Nay! Still color parts the two
Two found love and loved it
Tribe parts the two
this love has a wrong turn
its so weak it bruises my heart deep
so soiled where I sit
so why not delight in this pool of blood I found?
As red as my thoughts of love and hate
Its time am afraid
Am crossing the bridge alone
My love left 
So cruel am with wound of lust now
Take my hand and as you teach the lesson
My mentor, my guide
My companion.
Distance.

 ©  Maria wanjiru

Mary Wanjiru Nyokabi,  is a 22 years old Kenyan living in the city, Nairobi, but was born and brought up in Kiambu District. Her passion for poetry began back in High school when she composed poems for the school Drama Club. Her poems are based on assorted themes mostly on ailing issues within our society. Her dream is to make the society a better place to live in through frequent reminder of good morals through poetry. 

THE WOMAN

The proverbial angel incarnate
She sits at the throne akin to thou's perfection
More so in the case of love and care
Beauty and brains, she carries it all
Humbleness and honesty; companions to her soul

The essence of humankind
The epitome of a mindful heart
The Woman

I praise her for her deliberations
Her constant afflictions, which she dares much to
face
The whisker of pain, from the ocean that's her eyes
She deprives hate and pain the ability to stand

I am endeared to her; the woman
Who is bright and wise
Who shines the duty that is bestowed upon her
She nurtures, feeds and educates
She loves, cries, smiles and hugs
She upholds the care of our Lord and Father
She is in nature, a priceless jewel

I hail the woman

Who is the ingredient for the perfect recipe who is
concerned about her character and seeks to
enfranchise the mystique of herself as a woman

Whom the mythical Gaea is her perfect apparition,
for in someway she resembles the mother goddess
in being a queen

Whom some cheap nail polish doesn’t make her
pretty but her words and actions voices her heart
as beautiful

Whom the principles of honesty and submission
reflects her dignity and earns her respect for being
the noble woman in the niche of society

The Woman

She has the timbre to comfort
Her tier supersede the typical lass on the street
For she is indeed gratifying to a man who sees her
as a queen
'Cause she respects herself and upholds her
virtues.

© Eddy Ongili 2013

Eddy is a poet, playwright and an essayist. He has written extensively and some of his works can be found on his blog:Eddypoems.He writes as a lone voice but seeks to address the whole world. He resides in Nairobi and when he isn't writing, he is normally busy bragging about his self-acquired skills.

THE NYERI WOMAN

The Nyeri woman,
Full of sympathy
Takes her man from the trench
With brains gone blank, the irony
Of several bottles he did quench
She keeps her trust for him
She washes him to drain the drench
Of the perspiration
Of the liquor; stimulation

She struggles to survive
Solves her marital stress in solitude,
Secluded,
Stranded
She seeks salvation
Still stuck to the vow:
“For better or for worse”

But when worse is just terse
That life gets to the worst
She knows,
The vows need no more bows
And beats the devil out of him.
She gains energy
As he yells childishly
Bewildered by the blows
Of a Nyeri woman.

CONFUSED

Confused by
The testimony that followed
The announcement of election results.
Depending on you to give justice
or take justice.
Confused by
The words of the learned friends,
Attacking and counter attacking
Defending a client whichever way
That made my mirror bleak
And mind weak…
In my heart only improper analysis
Wait for my children when tomorrow comes

Confused by
The beautiful lips of Mutula’s daughter
Standing in for her fathers’ team
Like her father, firm
Like her father, fluent
Like father like daughter, indeed.

Confused by
The sharp tongue of a top law maker
Standing in for a colleague,
A law maker
Standing in for a tribes mate.

Atleast,
This is how we see!
When you stand for reason
Let reason not be of your colour,
When you stand for principle
Be loose to lose;
Just be lacking, in a principle sense.

Confused by

the arguments in place,

The votes “overwhelming”

The case is “Underwhelming”

Every party had a part to play

The party agents watch, monitor

The presiding officer manages

And the Returning officer announces

Where in the link was the mistake?

If there occurred an error

Did the agents raise it? Or was it an error,

Too?

Still confused by

The Kenyan democracy.

Not that there is no equality,

But, there is nothing like democracy…

If there was democracy it would have come after “MOI”

It would have come after KANU.

Ten years later, the slogan reads the same,

“IT IS OUR TIME TO EAT”

I send you a kiss,

From this shanty I stand,

A good brother in you there is,

I know none will understand;

My beauty in your hands I place

 ‘Cause you have one face.

Grow up in divine peace,

And I will raise my hand,

Praying for your  eternal peace;

I know you’ll make a good friend,

Though it’s hard for some to confess.

My brother sees in you a problem,

Your father he says is a kikuyu,

My friend is more or less the same,

Your mother he says is from Kisumu;

But the truth is we are the same

From Moyale to Lamu.

I wish, they had the eyes

Just to see you shine!

But here lies...

When they need money for votes and they be fine!

Who’ll vote you my dear moon

Especially when, in a  chopper flies the political cartoon?

Oh! How I miss you every noon.

Yes! Yes my moon

I kiss you once more

Its not in the noon

Simple and realistic though

A kiss from the lips to ribs...

And down to the hips.

All my body is on a fire

Which is seen no matter the attire

With your leadership I could be a star

And you remain the moon I miss.

When you look at me from tip to bottom,

You’ll sense that am poor,

But this does not affect home,

For they got used to being poor;

Yet poverty does not please any Tom

     Still  I have a reason to smile.

I sing your name everyday

Completely ready for the price to pay

‘What a fellow’ some may say;

‘too young to lead’ others will say

Mine is to wait till May

When all will see that you are the moon they miss.

THE WAGALLA MASSACRE

  Wagalla! Can never be wished away
Awaking call for all and sundry

Awful incident in a dark history
The fault of a few foolhardy ones
In the fringes of scot-free rule of law
In the wee hour morning
Overwhelming majority rounded
Succumbed over no circumstance
Seeking justice the only journey
And someday justice is just closer
All shall be a jailbird no bailout

 © AHMED KASSIM