By Benson Kabugi Wamwea
He called you fat
After he met a skinny girl
And forgot about your curves
The very curves that drew him to you
So you hide
You hide under baggy jumpers
Hoping to conceal the imaginary folds
Yet you hide your figure
The frame of your beauty
He called you black
After he had seen a bleached face
And forgotten about the suppleness of your skin
The very skin he so loved to touch
So you hide
You hide behind layers of make up
Hoping to conceal the imaginary pimples
Yet you mask the nature of your visage
The pride of your glamour
He called you controlling
After he met a reckless broad
And forgot about your nurturing care
The care that reminded him so much of his precious mother
So you hide
You hide behind a stern face
Hoping to hide the imaginary naivety
Yet you conceal your loving nature
The warmth of your persona
He called you weird
He called you old fashioned
He called you outdated
He called you an idealist
He called you a hopeless romantic
And you ran.
And you wept.
And you hid.
Now another has appeared
But he looks like him
So you hide
He reminds you of him
So you hide
He voice is just like his
So you hide
You hide behind the plastic smile
While you cower inside
You hide behind the busy day
While you are lonely inside
You hide behind the brave words
While you are scared inside
You are afraid he will lie like the last did
So you hide
You are afraid you will cry like you last did
So you hide
You are afraid to run like you last did
So you hide
The closer he moves, the farther you run
The nearer he draws, the deeper you hide
The more he calls, the tighter you curl
He must wait longer
Because you hide
He must call louder
because you hide
He must smile broader
Because you hide
He must try harder
because you hide
He must pay for the other's sins
So you hide.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
My Beloved
By Kiarii Wainaina
My beloved you are mine and I, yours,
Hold my gaze with your mysterious blackness
Enchant me with the mystery of your darkness
For the shine of your face is like polished ebony
Like an African night in a moonless sky.
Bewitch me with the mischief of your wink,
And the flutter of your lovely lashes,
While your eyes twinkle like stars of my black skies.
Bind me with the beauty of your look,
And the love so intent in the look of your eyes.
Undo me with magic of your tongue,
In a sweet love ballad, a lazy whisper,
And the curl of your lips as you pout,
In a mock sulk, like the baby you are-
A young heart in a woman’s dress.
Blind me with the shine of your smile,
And the glint of your teeth in a merry grin,
In mischievous sneer or unbridled happiness,
Bright as a milky way in a moonless night,
Lighting my night when the moon won’t shine.
Mesmerize me with the dance in your step,
And the sway of your hips in measured walk,
The heave of your bosom in unbridled laughter,
The angelic crane of your neck, like a painter’s model
And I’ll paint you on the tablet of my heart.
I am amazed by the humility in your heart.
And the genius of your sober mind.
Though fairer than most, even all,
Like a bridled horse you rein your pride,
In measured words and careful steps.
My beloved I am yours and you, mine
A willing captive of your endless charm,
I’ll ever explore the mystery you are.
My beloved I am yours and you, mine,
To ever love, to ever cherish and forever hold.
My beloved you are mine and I, yours,
Hold my gaze with your mysterious blackness
Enchant me with the mystery of your darkness
For the shine of your face is like polished ebony
Like an African night in a moonless sky.
Bewitch me with the mischief of your wink,
And the flutter of your lovely lashes,
While your eyes twinkle like stars of my black skies.
Bind me with the beauty of your look,
And the love so intent in the look of your eyes.
Undo me with magic of your tongue,
In a sweet love ballad, a lazy whisper,
And the curl of your lips as you pout,
In a mock sulk, like the baby you are-
A young heart in a woman’s dress.
Blind me with the shine of your smile,
And the glint of your teeth in a merry grin,
In mischievous sneer or unbridled happiness,
Bright as a milky way in a moonless night,
Lighting my night when the moon won’t shine.
Mesmerize me with the dance in your step,
And the sway of your hips in measured walk,
The heave of your bosom in unbridled laughter,
The angelic crane of your neck, like a painter’s model
And I’ll paint you on the tablet of my heart.
I am amazed by the humility in your heart.
And the genius of your sober mind.
Though fairer than most, even all,
Like a bridled horse you rein your pride,
In measured words and careful steps.
My beloved I am yours and you, mine
A willing captive of your endless charm,
I’ll ever explore the mystery you are.
My beloved I am yours and you, mine,
To ever love, to ever cherish and forever hold.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Poets, win Kshs. 1,000
Poets, win Kshs. 1,000 when your poem is selected as the poem of the week!
As promised, the poetry competition is on and popping. Poets now have a chance to win a thousand Kenya shillings in appreciation of their creative works. To enter the competition, send your poem to poetry@bernardmuhia.com
Only poems sent to this email address will be considered. The winning poem will make its debut along with my new website on the 15th of November 2010 http://www.bernardmuhia.co
Submission guidelines:
1. Include the title of the poem in the subject of the email as well as in the body of the email.
2.Include your names, as you want them to appear in the credits.
3.Only one poem per email.
4. All forms of poetry are acceptable.
The deadline for submissions is midnight November 5th 2010. May the freshest poem win.
After the November 15th launch, this poetry competition will be a weekly feature of the website, so keep participating to continue winning.
As promised, the poetry competition is on and popping. Poets now have a chance to win a thousand Kenya shillings in appreciation of their creative works. To enter the competition, send your poem to poetry@bernardmuhia.com
Only poems sent to this email address will be considered. The winning poem will make its debut along with my new website on the 15th of November 2010 http://www.bernardmuhia.co
Submission guidelines:
1. Include the title of the poem in the subject of the email as well as in the body of the email.
2.Include your names, as you want them to appear in the credits.
3.Only one poem per email.
4. All forms of poetry are acceptable.
The deadline for submissions is midnight November 5th 2010. May the freshest poem win.
After the November 15th launch, this poetry competition will be a weekly feature of the website, so keep participating to continue winning.
Monday, October 18, 2010
ALLEGIANCE SHIFT
The love you professed was
A seething stockfish studded
Pot of soup whose aroma
Could be smelled from afar
But the latest oozes a sell out stench
That of a saboteur's territory overrun
With ease by an army of occupation
A swift and stunning operation
Rules, regulations and laws overturned
With cowing decrees flashing red
In one eagle-like fell swoop
Your heart now on parade
Is but a decoy
The device of an Intelligence Chief
Your allegiance of yore having been moved
To dwell with a strange private
Your secret made naked by your coldness
And the void in your nude eyes
The mirror that exposes the devious
Designs and devices of your heart
Sold cheaply to a stranger on rampage
An open classified information
It is that that half of you
That was me is in protracted coma
Being strangled by your indifference.
The Other Side of Darkness
The last shreds of my restraints
slip away at the mere sight of you
They constantly warn me against you
But they don't know or understand
Its that darkness in you am attracted to
Its that dismal deviousness am drawn to
The halo on my head tips
every time I am close to you
Cos of the thoughts
that take refuge in me
The wings on my back withdraw
and in their place, two horns grow
I swear its the way you look at me
Awakening the redundant shame in me
Its like you've taken me
in every way and every form
Like my dark desires
are open bare to you
I try to stay away
but you always find me
And when you do,
you strip me off my guard
leaving me defenceless to your charm
Creating in me a thirst
only you know how to quench
We're two opposing forces
We're naturally made
to work against each other
Where you hurt, I heal
What you break, I make
And where you are, I am
Each time you leave my embrace
A little darkness is left in me
Slowly by slowly
you turn me against my course
And I can see myself
doing the same to you
We question our masters
We dare think of betrayal
Knowing treachery
is punishable only by death
Yet questions stare naked at us
How much longer
can the other side of a star stay blue?
How much longer
can the dark side of the moon stay concealed?
How much longer
must daylight follow night time?
More benign,
How intimately
does one need to know another
before the intimacy consumes them?
slip away at the mere sight of you
They constantly warn me against you
But they don't know or understand
Its that darkness in you am attracted to
Its that dismal deviousness am drawn to
The halo on my head tips
every time I am close to you
Cos of the thoughts
that take refuge in me
The wings on my back withdraw
and in their place, two horns grow
I swear its the way you look at me
Awakening the redundant shame in me
Its like you've taken me
in every way and every form
Like my dark desires
are open bare to you
I try to stay away
but you always find me
And when you do,
you strip me off my guard
leaving me defenceless to your charm
Creating in me a thirst
only you know how to quench
We're two opposing forces
We're naturally made
to work against each other
Where you hurt, I heal
What you break, I make
And where you are, I am
Each time you leave my embrace
A little darkness is left in me
Slowly by slowly
you turn me against my course
And I can see myself
doing the same to you
We question our masters
We dare think of betrayal
Knowing treachery
is punishable only by death
Yet questions stare naked at us
How much longer
can the other side of a star stay blue?
How much longer
can the dark side of the moon stay concealed?
How much longer
must daylight follow night time?
More benign,
How intimately
does one need to know another
before the intimacy consumes them?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
You inspired me
By Redscar McOdindo K'Oyuga
you focused on my strengths, always
accepting me for who I am, and
respecting the choices I've made.
you reached deep inside my heart
and replaced the rain and darkness
with the sunshine of a warm smile.
you inspired me, reminding me of the
beauty of the sunset and making me
see beyond my own narrow world.
you encouraged me to follow my dreams
and even when the road was rough,
you always cheered me along the way.
you never gave up on me - not for a
single second - even when I was more
than ready to give up on myself.
you devoted your time to me and
remained a constant in my life
even when the world was changing.
you focused on my strengths, always
accepting me for who I am, and
respecting the choices I've made.
you reached deep inside my heart
and replaced the rain and darkness
with the sunshine of a warm smile.
you inspired me, reminding me of the
beauty of the sunset and making me
see beyond my own narrow world.
you encouraged me to follow my dreams
and even when the road was rough,
you always cheered me along the way.
you never gave up on me - not for a
single second - even when I was more
than ready to give up on myself.
you devoted your time to me and
remained a constant in my life
even when the world was changing.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
My Rose
A sprout, frail and green,
Into a firm stem grows.
Such promise it shows,
When a bud is first seen.
Into a rose the bud grows,
And a beauty never seen.
A rose, red and preen
When the morning sun shows.
In the moonlight it glows,
Though daytime’s already been.
Ever prettier it grows,
A lovelier rose has never been.
A fragrance for a Queen,
Is thy scent when the wind blows.
Thy beauty as sunset glows,
Is the beauty of a teen.
Endless as a fountain flows,
Thy praise has always been.
My rose I’ll be ever keen,
Thy fountain ever flows from whence thy beauty grows.
Thy petals forever keen,
Never to dull their royal gloss.
Though a thorn on thee grows,
To hold thee I will be ever keen.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Remember me
Written by Kiarii Wainaina
Sing a ballad for me,
In the quiet of the night.
Sing lullabies for me
Tell bedtime stories, me
When sleep flees me,
And dreams take to flight.
When night like a pilgrim,
In a black hooded cloak,
With warmth for a lover,
Shall enter so bold
Pray be a dreamer,
Of our memories of old.
The sweetness of the pain
When thee Cupid claimed,
The magic of his portion,
Oh, the beauty of his wound!
His rugged blessed arrow
I beseech forever adore.
Dream memories of old:
by the stream we first met
The rocks like men of old,
stars winking, like naughty peers
The crescent smiling, like a content mother.
The waters humming, our sacred love song.
Like a young sun at dawn,
Beautiful and warming,
And the full moon at harvest
A face full of promise
A thousand stars in the night,
Is the vastness of your mystery.
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
Lovely eyes in the dark,
Gently, gently in your arms
Hold me closer to your heart,
Softly, softly like a babe,
Lull me slowly till I sleep.
Sing a ballad for me,
In the quiet of the night.
Sing lullabies for me
Tell bedtime stories, me
When sleep flees me,
And dreams take to flight.
When night like a pilgrim,
In a black hooded cloak,
With warmth for a lover,
Shall enter so bold
Pray be a dreamer,
Of our memories of old.
The sweetness of the pain
When thee Cupid claimed,
The magic of his portion,
Oh, the beauty of his wound!
His rugged blessed arrow
I beseech forever adore.
Dream memories of old:
by the stream we first met
The rocks like men of old,
stars winking, like naughty peers
The crescent smiling, like a content mother.
The waters humming, our sacred love song.
Like a young sun at dawn,
Beautiful and warming,
And the full moon at harvest
A face full of promise
A thousand stars in the night,
Is the vastness of your mystery.
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
Lovely eyes in the dark,
Gently, gently in your arms
Hold me closer to your heart,
Softly, softly like a babe,
Lull me slowly till I sleep.
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