Forgetting

I woke up this morning,

remembered, Ha! it was you birthday!

i was to buy you something,

was it a pair of red running shoes...hmm?


...i forget.


I was to forget you were tired - so you said,

of my running round behind your back.

I was to forget that grave accusation,

borne of evidence only you knew,

and to forget this happened,

the eve after i informed you,

my goats were readying to cross into your fathers land.



I was to forget your graduation in December,

your nephews baptism,

your aunt Nyamburas' wake.


the Ndakaini run in September,

all of it,

...i was to forget.




I will remember however,

to tell my friends not to come,

mother not to cook,

M'mudi not to bake,

Nagin not to forge,

tell them...to forget.


I will remember tomorrow,

to heed your request,

tomorrow!

i will banish my thoughts and tuck away the memories,

bury them and forget where i did.

Tomorrow!

i will get back,

to forgetting.

that i promise!

It Should not matter

It should not matter,
how this morning i woke,
to whom this day i spoke,
the challenges that came,
if i lost or gained.

It should not matter,
if my life is according to plan,
the state of health i am,
or of those i call my clan.

It should not matter,
the maize in my fields,
the value of my stock,
my hens, my prized cockerel.

It should not matter,
which lady i fancy,
her age,her trade,
progress with her made.

but why should it to you?
that you and me,
died!
and all that mattered,
along with it.

In the beginning

In the beginning was her smile,
Caught my eye, it held for a while
Her beauty,
Simple!

A flash of a thought,
slow feet.
From walk to trot,
approached i.
Cautious!
Curious!
to put name to face,
face to from
her whereabouts to know
already
aflame.

In the beginning.
a game,
that goes by common name
the hunt,
the chase,
caught in the intrigues.
of numbers,
dates,
impulsive adventures,
nocturnal chats,
palatable excitement.

In the beginning,
was not intent,
such intense.
to carry her heart in mine.

In the beginning
she was she.
i was i.
now,we
the her and me.

The Split

Today i broke her heart,
told her we should part.
Because of me she cried a river
wondering why id want to leave her.
Today she prayed for mercy,
and i for forgiveness,
...and as i left she asked me "why"
"Goodbye!" my only reply.

I've Moved

I've moved,
with sacks,
shoes,
and socks of mine.

closer to tranquil,
quiet,
solace.

I've moved,
removed i,
from proximity of you.

the lies,
that about you buzz,
flies,
over rotting carcass.

I've moved,
schooled,
in heart,
in mind,
Sharper.

I'm Interested

I'm interested;
in how you woke today,
in the dream you dreamt last night,
in the time alone you spent.

I'm interested;
in how you mother is,
in your fathers persistent whiz,
and that your unruly brother.

I'm interested;
in the colors you like,
in the things that bring you delight,
in your worries, your cares.

I'm interested;
in the color of your eyes
in your dimples when you smile
and when you anger, that frown.

I'm interested
...in loving you.

Poster

Your picture on a poster.
your face,
captured!
the dark of your eyes, soft.
the curves of your lips, smooth.
a dimple.

Perched above.
a feast,
for hungry waking eyes.
a salve,
for eyes sore from longer days.

as drift i;
from sleep
awakened!
and all day
those eyes
that smile
...linger.

If you want

If you want,
hearts can sing again,
sing to end of rain,
sing liberated by pain,
sing to another start.

If you want,
farce of casual friendship will fade,
that of a deeper one invade,
filling empty spaces deep,
with joy,with happiness and laughter.

If you want,
your captive i will be,
where the world is you and me,
never loyalty to doubt
a pledge, with mind,with heart.

If you want,
then let it be
again that you and me
and life...we will make it be
a greater you and me.

Friends

In my life i've known few
that i can call "friend" for true.
They that had the courage to impart,
their opinions when from lifes' road i seemed to depart.
They that saw the human when i fell,
and when i was the hero, they still could tell.
They that understood my simplicity
thought by some a great complexity.
I will be there when you need me,
as you were when i was in need.
And even though this poem talks too much of me,
tis to them i write this with much gratitude and glee.
Thank you for being my friend,
I am yours to the very end.

Generally

Generally this world is trash,
everything and everyone is ruled by cash.
Generally many are lost
in beer,in lust,in a world past.
Generally there is no justice,
just a set of fallacies we all agree to practice.
Generally people are never themselves,
just imitations of stars with lots of pride and wealth.
Generally loves a laugh,
if all she sees is the wealth you have.
Generally thats my view,
and its time to drop my pen and listen to you.

Because you are here

Because you are here i can smile,
because you are here, if only for a little while.
Because you are here hope can grow,
in a heart that had never it known.
Because you are here the sun can shine,
the greying clouds, a fading memory of mine.
Because you are here my tears of sadness cease to flow,
those of joy in the light of day glow.
Because you are here i can stand
because i know, you truely understand.
Because you are here ...even if only just for a little while.

Stay-Go

These two poems are inspired by Mshairi's own Stay and Go poems.


Stay
Do not go my gentle one,
Do not part and leave this man.
Plagued with insanity i am,
to sometimes treat you less than true worth ma'am.
Do not leave, that madness will pass.

Do not cross the river into that other mans land.
Stay, there is still much we can be.
there is still life for that you and me.
Do not leave, plead i this man.

I will for you do many things,
lend you my ear when your heart is troubled,
Finance your travels, on all those winds of fashion
defend your purity, if with my life i must.
Do not leave, and consume with darkness my ever after days.

Stay gentle one,
and find it in you to forgive this man.
his song, his prose, his ways, his life,
remain incomplete, deranged! damned!
if you leave.
Stay.


Go
You come to me with soft words and much reminiscing,
with fine robe, your scent impressing,
with amorous look, and that smile.
to claim that you are "my gentle one"?

That and you are fading memories of mine.
yes, you were once, in the past of another time.
I have found another, kinder to my eye,
after you left this man,
and let that you and I die.

and now you want us again together?
after you have left me for another?
mad i say, you must be mad!
or have been smoking too much of that "holy herb".

I cannot turn on her now!
the old men have met,
the date has been set,
my goats have crossed the river,
the last, at tomorrows sunset.

I will not rob her of her joy.
Do you not see how content she is,
head held high as she walks down the street?
The her and me lives,
in her, and as much in me.
Go! depart from me now.
You are to me, what dung is to a cow.

Constitution Making - A tribute to one

A HERO HAS PASSED

To the streets of the lake city they came,
their lips spoke of only his name.
tribute to a man of great acclaim,
tribute! For a hero had passed.

The air was thick with grief,
tears freely flowed,
great was the unbelief.
and as the hearse rode by they held their breath.
For a hero had passed, he had breathed his last.

The silence broke with the sound of a siren,
announcing the return of a son home.
home after a battle he'd fought,
home after great victories he'd brought.

This land that death has robbed,
sobs its loss, remains with his thought.
and clear a vision,
for others to follow, for better a tomorrow.


Tribute to Dr. Ooko Ooki Ombaka