My ears could not bear the noise ahead,
Stranger! as he turned.
He was running,
Run for your life!
As he passed me by.
A few steps forward another one of his kind,
at his heel to escape,
But one leg broken;
how far can this lizard go?
It looked at me quickly,
as if to say, not of his kind!
Avery rough, black stretched hard mat,
another with yellow wings laid,
so beautifully laid by death;
who told you he pities the beautiful.
The dusty winds blew,
among them the dry and green leaves;
in any direction they went
only at the mercy of the wind.
That afternoon on that lonely road,
alone I passed accompanied by their songs:
birds of different colours and sizes,
all flew backward as if to warn me.
The echoes of their song made me afraid
as I neared them, my heart beat faster,
almost came out but my ribs my support,
I controlled myself.
Man my kind, cut their brother with a saw,
destroyed his children with a harrow:
Not anymore the united members of the family;
Not anymore but huge buildings and streets.
Friday, 26 March 2010
The rains returned
It is raining, the grasses
The crops and trees smiling,
The ground in mourning,
Having to swallow more than enough.
Like a heated machine the sky
Full of dark clouds
All wanting to fall on
The plants and animals alike.
It took a smile at people
Preparing to end their work
At the markets and on the streets
Running to their destinations
Holding their breast
with Anything to cover their hair
holding their pockets
so they fall not off .
They destroy buildings, lengthening the course
leaving deep covered drains silted
reducing drain sizes to rounded tunnels
water then runs up our throats
and rubbish moves through it
like a chocolate cornflake drink
taking along anything on its course
Not to the sea and lake but rooms and streets.
Their prayer to soon get to their destination
To soon stop the rain
But under a tree
To hide their wet cloths
The sun, sun, yes! the sun
It’s heard, his name every where
On every lips like a saviour of the day
When it finally shows up
It’s soon forgotten his deed
When the earth dries up and
For ages thirst for water
When rooms sweat and
vapour rises into the sky
Their plea like a constant prayer
Which will not be refused
Then the dark clouds to rain again.
The crops and trees smiling,
The ground in mourning,
Having to swallow more than enough.
Like a heated machine the sky
Full of dark clouds
All wanting to fall on
The plants and animals alike.
It took a smile at people
Preparing to end their work
At the markets and on the streets
Running to their destinations
Holding their breast
with Anything to cover their hair
holding their pockets
so they fall not off .
They destroy buildings, lengthening the course
leaving deep covered drains silted
reducing drain sizes to rounded tunnels
water then runs up our throats
and rubbish moves through it
like a chocolate cornflake drink
taking along anything on its course
Not to the sea and lake but rooms and streets.
Their prayer to soon get to their destination
To soon stop the rain
But under a tree
To hide their wet cloths
The sun, sun, yes! the sun
It’s heard, his name every where
On every lips like a saviour of the day
When it finally shows up
It’s soon forgotten his deed
When the earth dries up and
For ages thirst for water
When rooms sweat and
vapour rises into the sky
Their plea like a constant prayer
Which will not be refused
Then the dark clouds to rain again.
The funeral drums
The funeral drums had long passed
And our memories still sounded echoes in air
The land has been bright quiet and fair
It has enjoyed calm without a cry
and they wish it were forever
never to return home again
From afar held his stick higher the drum beater
His drum close to the ground preparing to sound
Beating its skin it’s true
Another death but whom
The last time it was outside my neighbourhood
Today inside my house yet whom
My mother followed my dad into the grave but my wife
I could hear, her voice hollowed and worn out
She weeps like never before
Sh..!! Sh..!! The name she screams
Like... Baboni her son, my son
Ah..! Oh no! Not my son!
It cannot be true
Strong he was when I left
Thirty years ago I left,
Then a baby my son,
now a pity my son
not to see you but your corpse
And our memories still sounded echoes in air
The land has been bright quiet and fair
It has enjoyed calm without a cry
and they wish it were forever
never to return home again
From afar held his stick higher the drum beater
His drum close to the ground preparing to sound
Beating its skin it’s true
Another death but whom
The last time it was outside my neighbourhood
Today inside my house yet whom
My mother followed my dad into the grave but my wife
I could hear, her voice hollowed and worn out
She weeps like never before
Sh..!! Sh..!! The name she screams
Like... Baboni her son, my son
Ah..! Oh no! Not my son!
It cannot be true
Strong he was when I left
Thirty years ago I left,
Then a baby my son,
now a pity my son
not to see you but your corpse
We search and search
You search for your privacy
and you’ll have loneliness.
You search for love
and you’ll split with hate.
You search for a man
and you’ll have a beast by you.
You search for a woman
and you’ll have a ghost when needed.
You search for success
And you’ll not endure to the end.
You search for peace
and you’ll fight without a cause.
You search for long life
And you’ll destroy your body.
You search to be a leader
and you’ll refuse to serve.
You search for everything
and you’ll settle at nothing.
and you’ll have loneliness.
You search for love
and you’ll split with hate.
You search for a man
and you’ll have a beast by you.
You search for a woman
and you’ll have a ghost when needed.
You search for success
And you’ll not endure to the end.
You search for peace
and you’ll fight without a cause.
You search for long life
And you’ll destroy your body.
You search to be a leader
and you’ll refuse to serve.
You search for everything
and you’ll settle at nothing.
The useful past
When what is happening trembles
one wishes for the impossible,
we wish to have around
people when miles away,
we wish to bring back the past
which lies buried in the present.
When everything is in place
we lose our guard and play:
failing to value those and what matters
when close to us they stay.
The past and its mistakes awake
and we fall prey again.
one wishes for the impossible,
we wish to have around
people when miles away,
we wish to bring back the past
which lies buried in the present.
When everything is in place
we lose our guard and play:
failing to value those and what matters
when close to us they stay.
The past and its mistakes awake
and we fall prey again.
Virtue
Our world well made
with its inhabitants well created
had virtue the iron thread which held all things.
One night when all was quiet
I saw virtue cut,
so loud was its cry;
not only was it cut but into pieces
and thrown into a bottomless pit.
O virtue how helpful you have been
for me and for all
but had no one to support you
let alone myself.
I nearly lost my life and all dear to me;
now it is not the same world anymore;
it is so crooked one hardly walks without bending.
Ah virtue our friend now our enemy,
then was so near now very far from us.
Pretense is now the thin thread around and away;
through the streets and the alleys, none even mourns the
the untimely death of virtue.
with its inhabitants well created
had virtue the iron thread which held all things.
One night when all was quiet
I saw virtue cut,
so loud was its cry;
not only was it cut but into pieces
and thrown into a bottomless pit.
O virtue how helpful you have been
for me and for all
but had no one to support you
let alone myself.
I nearly lost my life and all dear to me;
now it is not the same world anymore;
it is so crooked one hardly walks without bending.
Ah virtue our friend now our enemy,
then was so near now very far from us.
Pretense is now the thin thread around and away;
through the streets and the alleys, none even mourns the
the untimely death of virtue.
The cemetery
One lives there, the mornings are quiet
busy the afternoons with several noises
starting from animals, man and man-made things.
Noise that are allowed and sometimes enjoyed,
but the hot afternoon’s noise, the saddest of them all.
The cemetery, melodious birds, tooting horns,
moaning and groaning; as if it will not end, yet
soon after the moaning and groaning, only the birds
remained after the cars are moved accompanied
by their blaring dirges and tooting horns.
The cemetery, very lonely yet full of all sorts of people:
the rich and poor, proud and haughty, the commoner
and the well-known.
The cemetery, not lively yet underneath the tombs
an active life continues with joy and abundance: that of
termites, that of worms.
The cemetery full of the dead yet above the tombs the
green grasses, the beautiful flowers the trees; one cannot
leave out the rodents and grasshoppers .
the cemetery the end of all our woes and troubles;
from there our moaning ends so our groaning
She lives there too most beautiful most loved,
filled with humour , warmth and passion; all wanted
her: her charming smile and eyes but feared to go there
often; the scary scraps, the bony tombs: feared all, though
painted white.
The cemetery our lovers,
the cemetery where our memories end,
the cemetery our life dodges;
yet in death we search the cemetery,
the cemetery to embrace us.
busy the afternoons with several noises
starting from animals, man and man-made things.
Noise that are allowed and sometimes enjoyed,
but the hot afternoon’s noise, the saddest of them all.
The cemetery, melodious birds, tooting horns,
moaning and groaning; as if it will not end, yet
soon after the moaning and groaning, only the birds
remained after the cars are moved accompanied
by their blaring dirges and tooting horns.
The cemetery, very lonely yet full of all sorts of people:
the rich and poor, proud and haughty, the commoner
and the well-known.
The cemetery, not lively yet underneath the tombs
an active life continues with joy and abundance: that of
termites, that of worms.
The cemetery full of the dead yet above the tombs the
green grasses, the beautiful flowers the trees; one cannot
leave out the rodents and grasshoppers .
the cemetery the end of all our woes and troubles;
from there our moaning ends so our groaning
She lives there too most beautiful most loved,
filled with humour , warmth and passion; all wanted
her: her charming smile and eyes but feared to go there
often; the scary scraps, the bony tombs: feared all, though
painted white.
The cemetery our lovers,
the cemetery where our memories end,
the cemetery our life dodges;
yet in death we search the cemetery,
the cemetery to embrace us.
Do you know?
Do you know how it feels
to fall sick and ill
Suddenly your best no more?
Do you know how it feels
to take the lead
and become the least;
When for something you’re known,
failure , so can no more own;
living a life full of trauma and Regret
yet a march to the end?
Do you or not know how it feels?
I know what it feels,
But for you I’m healed.
to fall sick and ill
Suddenly your best no more?
Do you know how it feels
to take the lead
and become the least;
When for something you’re known,
failure , so can no more own;
living a life full of trauma and Regret
yet a march to the end?
Do you or not know how it feels?
I know what it feels,
But for you I’m healed.
Their presence
Where the women are
the minds stir up
and hearts made glad;
where the women lack
Stare clouds the mind as
gladness flees the heart.
the minds stir up
and hearts made glad;
where the women lack
Stare clouds the mind as
gladness flees the heart.
My teacher
Among the birds I was
Like them I was
until he found me .
Into an eagle he turned me,
How to fly he taught me,
Into the sky he taught me.
Although not gone into the moon I
yet grateful still am I
that he made to fly
not just like an eagle
but also without perching.
Like them I was
until he found me .
Into an eagle he turned me,
How to fly he taught me,
Into the sky he taught me.
Although not gone into the moon I
yet grateful still am I
that he made to fly
not just like an eagle
but also without perching.
SÃmbolo de amor
What is the symbol of love?
The heart for ages have been
When we feel what we love
When we feel who we love
Now we see before we love
Honesty has turned pretence
Just to be accepted
A game to play with our feelings
Controlling the turn of events
With the symbol our mind
An unreliable mine
Only to realize it’s not ours
The heart for ages have been
When we feel what we love
When we feel who we love
Now we see before we love
Honesty has turned pretence
Just to be accepted
A game to play with our feelings
Controlling the turn of events
With the symbol our mind
An unreliable mine
Only to realize it’s not ours
She walks in beauty
She walks in beauty
Like the gentle dangling
Of the falling leaf from the baobab
In the moonlit night
Moistened by the soft calm breeze
Running into the arms of the gentle dew
Showing the sparkling of its
Diamond reflection in the fearful dark.
Full of bangles at her wrist
Full moon shaped ear rings
Showing its radiance
When the full rays settle on it.
Her unpolished cheeks the dark hides;
Her smiling nose and charming eyes reveals.
So irresistible one cannot say good bye
When with her alone.
The centre of the universe she is
At her feet lie undiscovered treasures
All that the ears heard but saw not
The brightening star that shines through my night
Drags to herself all those with breath
A queen to behold her ornaments
Her walk so graceful, redefines elegance
When beside her alone.
Her charm the magicians can’t fathom
Her touch changes base metals to gold
The Lingering warmth in her arms
Is enough to thaw my icy nerves
Pain dies away giving birth to cheerful memories
A descendant of the face that sank a thousand ships
And brought down topless towers
Made men immortal with kisses
So wonderful the thought of it
When around her alone.
Like a nursery to crops
Like the shade it gives
We lie low on her brow
Like babies for a suck
A tender care in wait
For generations yet unborn
From far through the hazy and windy night
She still walks in beauty
Alone when away from her.
Like the gentle dangling
Of the falling leaf from the baobab
In the moonlit night
Moistened by the soft calm breeze
Running into the arms of the gentle dew
Showing the sparkling of its
Diamond reflection in the fearful dark.
Full of bangles at her wrist
Full moon shaped ear rings
Showing its radiance
When the full rays settle on it.
Her unpolished cheeks the dark hides;
Her smiling nose and charming eyes reveals.
So irresistible one cannot say good bye
When with her alone.
The centre of the universe she is
At her feet lie undiscovered treasures
All that the ears heard but saw not
The brightening star that shines through my night
Drags to herself all those with breath
A queen to behold her ornaments
Her walk so graceful, redefines elegance
When beside her alone.
Her charm the magicians can’t fathom
Her touch changes base metals to gold
The Lingering warmth in her arms
Is enough to thaw my icy nerves
Pain dies away giving birth to cheerful memories
A descendant of the face that sank a thousand ships
And brought down topless towers
Made men immortal with kisses
So wonderful the thought of it
When around her alone.
Like a nursery to crops
Like the shade it gives
We lie low on her brow
Like babies for a suck
A tender care in wait
For generations yet unborn
From far through the hazy and windy night
She still walks in beauty
Alone when away from her.
It was over
Even before you were born
After the first breath of life
The crawling and walking
Your first cry and smile
It has been over.
For ages it was over
But yet to begin
From the beginning
Started all,
And none to escape from its hold.
No one wanted to continue
Everyone wanted to end.
Nowhere to go now
Nothing to do
My steps I cannot make
My journey a standstill it came.
Exhausted and worn-out
Trembling and terrifying
It is all over.
No more waking up
To be late for classes
No more writing exams
No more waiting for results,
No more changing of time tables
When preparations are made.
All alone you will be
Away from all of these
Rowdy and noisy confusion
Into a quiet and calm
But a higher depth to drown
With the least error.
My life, uncontrolled actions
My actions, all alone I bear.
In my dark room
I might find my way there
With the light from within:
The unseen light my guide.
I would succeed because
It was over long before
I even started, it was over.
After the first breath of life
The crawling and walking
Your first cry and smile
It has been over.
For ages it was over
But yet to begin
From the beginning
Started all,
And none to escape from its hold.
No one wanted to continue
Everyone wanted to end.
Nowhere to go now
Nothing to do
My steps I cannot make
My journey a standstill it came.
Exhausted and worn-out
Trembling and terrifying
It is all over.
No more waking up
To be late for classes
No more writing exams
No more waiting for results,
No more changing of time tables
When preparations are made.
All alone you will be
Away from all of these
Rowdy and noisy confusion
Into a quiet and calm
But a higher depth to drown
With the least error.
My life, uncontrolled actions
My actions, all alone I bear.
In my dark room
I might find my way there
With the light from within:
The unseen light my guide.
I would succeed because
It was over long before
I even started, it was over.
I never knew
I never knew it will come
But I had it and believed it.
With all expectation I waited
Waited and waited to no avail.
The promise was not fulfilled
These were words freely uttered
How harmless they seemed
Now an agitation in the mind
Unfufilment that is what happened
Anger and hate that is what is happening
This could cause separation
When enmity breaks relationships
Most often they forget and focus
what occupied their minds instead
Your reaction should delay because
something could happen on course
Your action, be mindful
And remember yesterday
And their role in our lives
But I had it and believed it.
With all expectation I waited
Waited and waited to no avail.
The promise was not fulfilled
These were words freely uttered
How harmless they seemed
Now an agitation in the mind
Unfufilment that is what happened
Anger and hate that is what is happening
This could cause separation
When enmity breaks relationships
Most often they forget and focus
what occupied their minds instead
Your reaction should delay because
something could happen on course
Your action, be mindful
And remember yesterday
And their role in our lives
Dark night
Soon the sun’s song
With dark light leading
Clears the dark night
Runs my night my dark
To a place of no return
Soon my happiness
Kept so long under keys
Deep down the depths
Only the fishes
Their fiery firing eyes
Soon the divers with
All set for rescue
Lost their trail
Tossed and turned
With the wave the guard
Among those with speech
My cover I took
My hide was uncovered
The sun my friend
Soon gave way to rest
All alone I was
Quiet but within in a
Noisy confusion
Waiting to explode
The magma soon to erupt
Soon winter saw summer
Soon autumn saw spring
I was not seen or heard.
… run my night my darkness
As the sun soon sings
With dark light leading
Clears the dark night
Runs my night my dark
To a place of no return
Soon my happiness
Kept so long under keys
Deep down the depths
Only the fishes
Their fiery firing eyes
Soon the divers with
All set for rescue
Lost their trail
Tossed and turned
With the wave the guard
Among those with speech
My cover I took
My hide was uncovered
The sun my friend
Soon gave way to rest
All alone I was
Quiet but within in a
Noisy confusion
Waiting to explode
The magma soon to erupt
Soon winter saw summer
Soon autumn saw spring
I was not seen or heard.
… run my night my darkness
As the sun soon sings
Jealousy.
It happened again...
Sounded friendly
Yet brought out effects
Of serious hurt and damage.
That is what it does:
Jealousy, when I mentioned her name
And anything about her.
It destroyed everything we created:
All our warm conversations,
Brought out all our secrets
Caused pains and aches.
This is it, a mere word
Sounds friendly but brings out
Effects of serious hurt and damage:
The desire to call you
What to talk about.
The fear of it all made me a prisoner.
Jealousy, it comes and goes
Jealousy, for only a brief moment
But nothing can stop jealousy
If allowed once.
Sounded friendly
Yet brought out effects
Of serious hurt and damage.
That is what it does:
Jealousy, when I mentioned her name
And anything about her.
It destroyed everything we created:
All our warm conversations,
Brought out all our secrets
Caused pains and aches.
This is it, a mere word
Sounds friendly but brings out
Effects of serious hurt and damage:
The desire to call you
What to talk about.
The fear of it all made me a prisoner.
Jealousy, it comes and goes
Jealousy, for only a brief moment
But nothing can stop jealousy
If allowed once.
Jealousy.
It happened again...
Sounded friendly
Yet brought out effects
Of serious hurt and damage.
That is what it does:
Jealousy, when I mentioned her name
And anything about her.
It destroyed everything we created:
All our warm conversations,
Brought out all our secrets
Caused pains and aches.
This is it, a mere word
Sounds friendly but brings out
Effects of serious hurt and damage:
The desire to call you
What to talk about.
The fear of it all made me a prisoner.
Jealousy, it comes and goes
Jealousy, for only a brief moment
But nothing can stop jealousy
If allowed once.
Sounded friendly
Yet brought out effects
Of serious hurt and damage.
That is what it does:
Jealousy, when I mentioned her name
And anything about her.
It destroyed everything we created:
All our warm conversations,
Brought out all our secrets
Caused pains and aches.
This is it, a mere word
Sounds friendly but brings out
Effects of serious hurt and damage:
The desire to call you
What to talk about.
The fear of it all made me a prisoner.
Jealousy, it comes and goes
Jealousy, for only a brief moment
But nothing can stop jealousy
If allowed once.
Our boat comes
I was not the first the boat brought
From far and near other boats sailed.
Even my arrival on shore,
A lot more had already arrived,
A lot more to set sail.
I knew all these but one
When it will come for me.
We gained our life the moment we arrived
We lost our lives the moment it came for us
No one has ever been left out here
No matter how long
Some of us returned the moment they arrived
Never had the chance to enjoy and toil
Those who stayed wondered without end
Wondered when they will also depart
From this earth and its inhabitants
Those who had their stake deep
Feared to go because they felt part of earth
Death which gives life unending
They never want to hear:
That which will make our leaving smooth.
From far and near other boats sailed.
Even my arrival on shore,
A lot more had already arrived,
A lot more to set sail.
I knew all these but one
When it will come for me.
We gained our life the moment we arrived
We lost our lives the moment it came for us
No one has ever been left out here
No matter how long
Some of us returned the moment they arrived
Never had the chance to enjoy and toil
Those who stayed wondered without end
Wondered when they will also depart
From this earth and its inhabitants
Those who had their stake deep
Feared to go because they felt part of earth
Death which gives life unending
They never want to hear:
That which will make our leaving smooth.
THE FALLEN CHAINS OF SILENCE
I searched through the creeks and crevices
The nook and cranny the scattered bits and pieces,
The alleys and desolate places
And meticulously I chose you, my lotus
Like a bride will choose her wedding gown.
You were seen surrounded by the rot yet
Within you lies a vessel so purer than the lilies in bloom.
Your steps I followed
Like a shadow of an object at noon day
Like a sun flower directed by the rays of the sun
Until you entered her womb.
You’ve been gone for long
And I thought your silence was forever.
There in the womb
I saw your smile,
Read your mind and felt your pulse.
Today the chains of silence was broken and
Again the angelic tone was heard
Like the feeling when opening a treasure vault
And I can now not wait to possess your sparkling treasures
Which like the innocent gentle white lilies
Had been safely and long guarded.
The nook and cranny the scattered bits and pieces,
The alleys and desolate places
And meticulously I chose you, my lotus
Like a bride will choose her wedding gown.
You were seen surrounded by the rot yet
Within you lies a vessel so purer than the lilies in bloom.
Your steps I followed
Like a shadow of an object at noon day
Like a sun flower directed by the rays of the sun
Until you entered her womb.
You’ve been gone for long
And I thought your silence was forever.
There in the womb
I saw your smile,
Read your mind and felt your pulse.
Today the chains of silence was broken and
Again the angelic tone was heard
Like the feeling when opening a treasure vault
And I can now not wait to possess your sparkling treasures
Which like the innocent gentle white lilies
Had been safely and long guarded.
One met them
One met them on the major roads
Talking to themselves as they swept
The scattered pieces and bits roaming
In the pot holes and puddles left
In the gutters and as if not knowing
They were been watched.
On the pavements they are seen
With just a single cloth to tie
A baby around their waist line
So forlorn and dejected a scene
They passed in flip flops for a hire
As their toes almost touched the ground.
In their huts and shelters the Rains leaked
And formed a pool of bed
To feed their babies water dripped
From their breast making their dear
Babies grow lean and weak.
At the bus terminals like strangers
They stir as one by passes
Their dirty trousers thorn and patched
Can hardly on both legs walk but hop
Seeing clearly through the hat covered face
Beneath which a dusty mind stayed.
Talking to themselves as they swept
The scattered pieces and bits roaming
In the pot holes and puddles left
In the gutters and as if not knowing
They were been watched.
On the pavements they are seen
With just a single cloth to tie
A baby around their waist line
So forlorn and dejected a scene
They passed in flip flops for a hire
As their toes almost touched the ground.
In their huts and shelters the Rains leaked
And formed a pool of bed
To feed their babies water dripped
From their breast making their dear
Babies grow lean and weak.
At the bus terminals like strangers
They stir as one by passes
Their dirty trousers thorn and patched
Can hardly on both legs walk but hop
Seeing clearly through the hat covered face
Beneath which a dusty mind stayed.
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