Monday 23 April 2012

When the Cinema Came to My Village



When the Cinema came to my village
It was the biggest thing ever

My brothers and I
Sat on sand

In front
Was a big white cinema

I remember how Rambo
Killed everyone

The Terminator, Commando,
Bruce Lee, Shaolin Tempo

These people fell from tall buildings
Then stood on both feet

The next day, a 13 year-old
Climbed a tree and jumped

Well, he was no Rambo
So don’t wait to hear what happened next

When the Cinema came to my village
Old men laughed to expose their toothless grins

When people kissed, they covered their faces
Eish, these wazungus love each other!

I remember  a boy asked me,
“These people are bad, how can they burn
Their houses instead of giving us?”

I am still thinking of the answer,
But I know what the audience wants

So, back then,
We shaved clean to be like Shaolin Tempo

We made small plant guns
And became Commando

The problem is that along the way,
Hollywood didn’t scout for talents in this neck of the woods








Tuesday 17 April 2012

As I Travel Here


Photo Credit: flickr
As I travel here,
My feet will grow weary sometimes

As I travel here,
My head will be stuffed sometimes

As I travel here,
The incessant drone will fill my ears

But
I remain a pilgrim.

I have been to this road before,
My ancestors shook this dust before

They looked up to the Sun,
“Kong’asis”, they named the East

Their feet was bruised by rocks,
Yet they climbed treacherous hills and mountains

There is music in my ears,
There is fresh air filling my lungs

As I travel here,
I see distant homesteads beyond the hills

I will set forth
I will tighten my akala shoes

As I travel here,
I know the destination

As I travel here,
My heart is full of joy of this sojourn


Poem shared with Real Toads.


Thursday 5 April 2012

Lenten Journey- Day 12

#1
You who toil everyday
You who fail to observe Sabbath
I ask, when do you worship?
Ewe unayetia bidii
Unayepuuza siku ya Sabato
Nauliza, unaabudu lini?

#2
His words command obedience
They are not like ours
Scattered within a fairy tale
Maneno yake yanafaa utii
Si kama yetu
Zilizotapakaa katika ngano

#3
You heard the Constitution
Like a human being, is a living document
So are God’s words
Ulisikia kwamba Katiba
Sawa na binadamu, inaishi
Hivyo basi ndivyo maneno ya Mungu



Lenten Journey- Day 12


#1
Let us have high priests among us
Though not sinless
To guide our pilgrimage

Na tuwe na Makuhani Wakuu miongoni mwetu
Japo wasiwe watakatifu
Kutuelekeza katika imani yetu

#2
Who hijacked the process
I mean, what went wrong
That those not called masquerade as ones?

Nani aliiteka nyara shughuli
Ni nini kilienda upogo
Hivi kwamba wanafiki wameenea?

 
Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 26th 2012
Biblical Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

Lenten Journey- Day 12


#1
Nothing is expensive
To our Lord
For all belongs to him
Hakuna kilicho ghali
Kwake Mungu
Kwani vyote ni vyake
#2
His message will out
Even if ‘elements’
Might be miffed
Ujumbe wake utaenea
Hata ikiwa maadui
Wataghafilika



Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 26th 2012
Biblical Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog



Monday 2 April 2012

Lenten Journey- Day 12



Fervent prayer in obedience
Meekness in glory
Was the message Jesus lived

Maombi ya kweli na unyenyekevu
Raufu katika sifa
Ilikuwa ujumbe Yesu aliishi




Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 25th 2012
Biblical Scripture: Hebrews 5:5-10
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

Lenten Journey- Day 12



#1

We stand here, not as of right,
But as privileged souls
Made right before the Lord

Twasimama hapa, si kwa haki,
Bali kama waliobahatika
Waliofanywa sawa mbele ya Mungu


#2

What alight feeling
To know
Of the message of restoration?
Ni furaha iliyoje
Kutambua
Kuhusu ujumbe wa Uhuru?




Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 26th 2012
Biblical Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

Lenten Journey- Day 12




#1

Pilgrim, may all prophesies come true
That your progeny
Shall be of prophets
Hija, twaomba unabii utimie
Twaomba kizazi chako
Kiwe cha manabii


#2

What sign, what manifestation
Will reveal
The earlier prophesies?
Ni dalili ipi
Itaonyesha
Unabii wa kale?





Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 27th 2012
Biblical Scripture: Acts 2:14-24
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

Lenten Journey- Day 12



#1

They questioned his mission—
Like the Scribes—
Unbeknownst to them who he was
Walitathmini lengo lake—
Kama Wanasheria—
Wasijue alikuwa nani

#2

The light of Truth
Will shine for a while
Twould be a pity if it is wasted
Nuru ya Ukweli
Utaangaza kwa muda
Sikitiko litatukia iwapo haya yatapotezwa



Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 28th 2012
Biblical Scripture: John 12:34-50
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

Lenten Journey- Day 12



#1

May we pilgrims,
Despite our frailties,
Live by piety

Twaomba sisi Hija,
Kando na udhaifu wetu
Tuishi kikristu

 #2

We are all humble slaves
Shackled in humility to Christ
Joyous in our state
Sisi sote ni watumwa wanyenyekevu
Tumejifunga katika unyenyekevu wa Kristu
Wenye furaha katika kila hali




Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 29th 2012
Biblical Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

Lenten Journey- Day 12



#1

This I say to you, Pilgrims,
That you live without blemish
so that my death is not in vain
Hili nakujulisha Hija
Kwamba utaishi bila doa
Ili kifo changu kisiwe cha bure


#2

Do me a favour, pilgrim,
Though I be absent
Let what I lived dwell in you
Hija, naomba unifanyie hili
Japo sitakuwepo
Acha nilichoishi kidumu kwenu





Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 30th 2012
Biblical Scripture: Philippians 2:12-18
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog


Lenten Journey- Day 12




#1

Kama Bartimayo mwana wa Timayo
Sisi sote ni vipofu
Hata hivyo, kinyume naye tumeridhika!

Like bartimaeus, son of Timaeus
We are all blind
But unlike him, we are content!

#2

Yastaajabisha jinsi Yesu
Alivyozungumza katika Nafsi ya Tatu
Hata katika kifo chake

Amazing how Jesus
Spoke in Third Person
Even at the point of death





Lenten Journey – Day 12; March 31st 2012
Biblical Scripture: Mark 10:32-34, 46-52
Feel free to explore the Lenten Journey at Cloaked Monk Blog

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