This is for you
On the brink of losing hope
Tugging at the rope
Standing at the cliff
Before the ultimate jump
This is for you
This is for you
The Silent One
With the sun of righteousness
Lighting up your heart
Yet shadowed by pain of mankind
The wilted flower of love
The plucked feathers of a sweet dove
The dry, parched throats guttural
The systemic errors basically structural
Still, shine rays of hope, Silent One
This is for you
This is for you
That you say are ugly
Tell me, who said so?
Have you looked at yourself in the mirror
And marveled at your beauty?
Have you heard your voice
Replayed the clip over and over?
Measure yourself by your unique parameters
Never let others define what you should be
The same lie travels around the world
That
wafer-thin is the thing
So naturally endowed women
Skip nth meals, endure cruel dieting
Hit the aerobics from Monday to Monday
With sorrow, with lives most hollow
Al l with the aim of becoming Naomi Campbell
Quit it, sisters, healthy is the keyword
Some were born slim, others fluffy
Some were born light, others dark
Some were born tall, others short
Be yourself, there is only one template of you
Be happy, find beauty within you
This is for you
This is for you
The
herdsman
What story is there for you
When you sleep in the rains with your cows?
Or walk across to the border to search for
pasture?
Year after year, you keep them
Even amidst the dried riverbeds and dusty soil
You put your life to risk, you are ready to die
For those animals
This is for you
This is for you
The Child of 8-4-4
Who lived through maziwa ya nyayo
To the Kibaki era
Lived through insha and ngeli
Survived factorization and L.C.M and G.C.D
Escaped licking acids from shaky pipettes and
burettes
Managed through Kiu, KIlio Cha Haki, Looking For a Rain God,
Amezidi, Coming to Birth, Walenisi
Endured methali,
semi, tanakali za sauti, kinyume, kukanusha
Fasihi, tamthilia, mashairi, ufupisho, taarifa,
isimu za lugha
And now walking around with soaked knowledge
Looking for a job, unemployed, frustrated,
disenfranchised
This is for you
This is for you
Yes you, you the weaver of words
You who suffers writer’s block
Labouring for that one poem
That will carry a message
Through the generations
Adored in some year like 4057
Writing with a fire in your bones
And compassion in your heart
For the sheer love of the art
This is for you
C) Lorot Salem 2011
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2 comments:
Oh Salem, another gloriously beautiful shining with compassion poem. It is totally wonderful!!!! I so love it and hope all of those who need this bit of love and hope can find their way here and read it. Maybe you could send it to the Nairobi newspaper????
@ Poets United, Congratulations. As we say here, "hongera"! I have said it elsewhere, I say it again: Poets United brought me literally from scratches. I was welcomed into a community of fellow poets and poetesses-- lovely souls-- who comment on my pieces, motivate me, expand my horizon. I can now connect to everyone all over the world. Isn't that so cool?
@ Sherry Blue Sky, asante sana Koko. Thanks a lot. I had written it with a possibility of it being performed. I will be performing this piece some day in the near future. I will let you know. As of sending it to the newspapers here, it is almost impossible but there is no harm in trying it out. I will also let you know of this. :)
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Echoes of the Hills is all about you. I would love to hear your echo...