WORD PICTURES I: POETRY FOREVER

EDGAR ODONGKARA

Forpoetry,beginnings,rawness Forlove,God,life,nature,me Forteenage,joy,depression Forwakingupandgettinglost Forthemwhooccupiedmyheartthen Forusheringinthenew,outwiththeold Allpoetrywrittenbefore2011

PROLOGUE: A VERSE I spent my hours and days writing verse; for you to read I spent my brains coming up with; the best suiting words I strained my soul on inspiration but what has it come to? Vanity. Vanity. PURE VANITY! I want to spend my hours and writing; verse for you to do I want to appease and gratify the souls; that seek this that I write I want to inspire the fathers, sons, grandsons And all who come after me. The lyrics that I write could be hell-bent on annoying or amusing Before you read with your soul, I urge you to read with your mind Because I could take you to the high heavens; and Without remorse through the back door to hell. Mysteries and parables and clues and secrets, that A poet can't keep to himself are in the poem. Read the poem into your life. Read the mind of the poet and be amused, Or touched by his suffering, pain or utter joy. My work is to harmonise the words; That describes the feeling, And you, to feel the feeling that I also have, And be happy in spirit with me. So help me God, to write verse that you, And I could do together.

POETRYANDME

MY LOVE My creator gave me a chance, to design The woman that I wanted. Now listen! I curved out an oval face. I gave her big, clear, watery eyes. I made her lips luscious as the devil's taunts. I gave her a belly and button that made her; My Arabian princess or maybe Egyptian. I made her bottom the top. Her jewelry glittered as gold. Then I made love to her in each word, Making each moan last a phrase. The heat was in each line. The orgasm washed over each thought. But I had made a mistake. The passion I gave her brought want. Need, I could handle but 'WANT', I couldn't. Those other molesters, defilers and rapists Tilted her in all angles. She was in pieces, obliterated and left in the cold. Then she came home as the Prodigal Daughter. Now, I'm here, mending the broken pieces; joining Washing and plastering each wound Mending each broken bone with a tear from my eye. I crave for beauty and the realisation of her beauty, By the rogues that traverse the face of the earth. Feel the bitterness and sweetness in each word. Let it cause your body to feel tingly like a soft wind. Cuddle this POETRY, my love, with care And let it provide you with indefinite pleasure.

AT THE HEM OF MADNESS I am having dreams; day and night Dreams of my father, smiling at me His face speaking of a great delight, So to say, stars that light the sky. I am right, on sight. I am having dreams; of gloom and darkness Have you seen 'no life' before? No, but I have But of course, you only see 'no life' when, You have no life. So it is not a dream, It is a blackened memory. I am having dreams; day and night Of this girl I'm looking at, Of the summertime sunshine, Of the caresses and kisses I could give her, Of the warmth, sweetness and moisture to share We could make magic. I am having dreams; Of cold solitude and winter without her, Of sickness, pain and her departing from me, Of breaking into pieces, crying and dying. After all this, it is not a dream, It is the true reality. I am having dreams; day and night Dreams of my sister, good dreams only. She works hard to get what she wants. Never ranting about and falling at the challenge. She defines principle, decisiveness. I am having dreams, Of a cold, ruthless woman, Of a savage born out of love, Of a cold black stone, That could heal you from a snake bite. Now, I'm dreaming reality. I am having dreams; day and night Of my mother, who chose us over everything. Is she contented where she is? Does she regret having children Such as I and she, my sister? She says to me that she will think about this When all the work she has to do is done. But before that, no. I am having dreams; day and night Of myself, of what I am, And what I think I am supposed to be. I think I will be great, famous. My ego disturbs me every now and then. I feel like a fool who is being dragged along. It is as though there is this other person, Manipulating, exploiting and draining me of wisdom. I just can't seem to take my stand against him.

He warns me that disobeying him hurts only me. I'm scared and can't get the hell out of this trap. I am arrogant, proud and completely nonchalant. That's the effect of him on me. It has got me to think, though, That we are supposed to live together, probably But I will not admit to that for now, Otherwise, I might be in downhill motion. I am having dreams; Of being absorbed by the fires of hell, Of being tracked down by demons, And all of hell's hounds. Have you seen a problem that never stops trying you? Yes, that's a demon. Rogue creature, that one. I have no fear of lying cold in a casket, Neither of hanging that man, Greatness. But the thoughts tease, scare the wits out of me. Being six feet under is not rest; rotting away, That's a true nightmare.

SUNNY DAYS At sunrise; One ray, one wish; one song As the mist turns to dew My father sings a soggy chorus to his crew But I hope that there will be a hot morning stew Then I will feel nice. Easy like a sunny, Sunday morning. At scorch time; Bring me some scotch, But I promise I won't be like my father But I will sing a sensual song; rather With this little melody from my father; Easy, son. Don't push it; Let the wind rush it. When you hear the leaves ruffle Then you know you can haggle. Easy, son. Don't push it; Let the wind rush it. Down to the very last one. Beautiful, so beautiful But sweat oozes out of the pores Of my head. At sunset; Each ray disappears; Fast as a rebel who fights for a good cause But I'm with my father. Can we sing you a sad song? Yes. I was walking down the coast With my cup to make toast A policeman came to the beach Just to make me toast So I called him share my little, little beer Because I knew if he was drunk, then he wouldn't dare But I forgot. My beer wasn't enough to make him drunk. So my father taught me to sing; Hey, Mr Policeman, Don't try to shoot me down Why are you trying to shoot me down When I'm just a drunk man in the sand? An ethanol-filled encore by me and my father.

THE CREATOR AND HIS OWN The wind blows as the rags swing As if swinging is their only work The coolness comes but not to all. It is segregate to the few who made it cold. I mean, giving the creator hard time! It has never benefited anyone. Instead of being grateful for being Some are acting like swine. Say big-headed, no. It is pig-headed. When I meant to rhyme, a word Cut into my way to break the line. But I still have my mind. I did not Let my creations drive me insane. It makes me think how God feels To see all these rascals and infidels He created Disobey Him. Stupid sots. He must be hitting His head hard, Against any brick wall, Weighed down with regret, For making that covenant with Noah Or sacrificing His own son. I bet He feels like striking us down, With lightning. So I feel, As I try to make these words Obey me, To say what I want Without being misunderstood I am at war, But I, the creator, will soar. And so be it.

SOUL REBEL I'm a rebel, soul rebel; I'm a wanderer; soul adventurer Resistance is a part of me. A portion of my spirit lives Born by the revolution Revolting everything you say I know that your oppressive philosophy Is not the true way to live. I'm a rebel, soul rebel; I'm a wanderer; soul adventurer I will not use violence But I will be militant This is a movement, A segment; of disagreement The evolution of a people Who have solutions. I'm a rebel, soul rebel; I'm a wanderer; soul adventurer We shall fight your ways With the same guns and bombs Complete disobedience The system is imperial, defeatist And fascist. I'm a rebel, soul rebel; I'm a wanderer; soul adventurer The moon is up and bright Walking in the light At six past midnight No traitor will survive this, Ambush in the night.

LIFEAND OTHER POEMS

ABOUT LIFE I always try to write about life, And all his unfairness, But the thought always eludes me. I meditate and think and muse, But all is just a fleeting illusion. Little tempting flashes that I jump at But can't reach. A fading fantastical dream. What really is life?

LIFE When an offspring is born, We are all smiles We run into happiness' miles Forgetting all pains of past times It is good to feel good To say thank you, Lord, when, You're on the good side of good. We give thanks and praises, To the life the Lord gives, To the power and might of the Lord. They glow with smiles, And grow with time. Without foresight, they came No anticipation, none Of the failures and struggles, trials That came with maturity. Even after the labours and toils and sweat, They afford the effort to smile it off. They claim all is well when actually, Nothing is. They despair, even in pretense. The meaning of life can't be realised Or seen by the living that tread This earth.

DEATH It is dreaded and feared Even when it comes in the best way. It is the end of a journey, Successful or not. They have worked, To gain all they could To achieve all the earth could give While gaining nothing. They struggle to make ends meet and Forget to make their own ends meet. It has to come. The problem is, We don't how or when. We are left in sorrow, When one chooses the heavenly realms. The dead will never know the meaning of Death, for it is their world. Life and all that lives on earth, All is left behind. None taken. Efforts are wasted on end Iniquity used by the wicked living Futility and vanity achieved They are happy, all the wealth. But in the end, in death, Life means this: EVERYTHING.

OFFICIAL To lie is to lie in a lion's den To fool oneself is to become the folly of the world To challenge oneself is to assume heavenly environs We never lie But we tell lies We are never bad But we do bad things, so Shall we not be the folly of our world?

FLATTER,FUN, FANTASIES

WITNESS She had those big black watery eyes The beam of mine eye could not contend The beam of her eye cut my heart The big drops of pearly tears mended the wound Pain and pleasure in one The feeling, really confusing The mind didn't know but the soul did A head-on collision A lockdown She smiled, colourful as the feather of a peacock Her laughter graceful as a white dove At least, I saw And I am forever greater and grateful Not all men have my eyes I managed to see an angel, and them All they saw was white light Cut my soul, I am a winner already.

MARY Mary was this girl, She was not beautiful, she was attractive. She made all the boys turn head and I, leg. Mary had a tail, lashed it like a horsewhip. As other bulls fought, I looked on. I smiled at her, and so did she. I ran into the bush. A cow and a bull, two love children. I touched her and so did she. I tickled her. She spiraled like a kitten. Mary was not divine but chronic. She infected me like a venereal disease. Only she could heal it.

YOUR WALK I perch under the porch I glance around I see the blue shade of the sky It seems to be turning into my own Nothing to lighten me up I look down and at once I look up again And I see you gliding Strolling down the dusty pathway With ease You move with fluidity Leaving me with both agony and ecstasy You flow like a river Your walk is as smooth as of a pony All good, no bad. I am befuddled at the sight, transfixed Utterly spellbound Totally dumbfounded Yet discretely bewitched See, now you can see effect of you on me.

FALSETTO Hills and valleys Through these I walk I am a wanderer For through the wilderness I walk High pitched reverberations These, I hear from distances away I am reminded by myself They are of my own. My falsetto. The wilderness does not like me So then, I run forth into; A place unknown To the men of this earth With stealth, I enter like a thief But someone has realised my entry A voice not of my own Calling out my name I glide along for I long to know Where it comes from. Who is it that knows of me, That I don't know of? She is the queen of this, my land, Crying out for me?

RUDE AWAKENING

LOST ONES They went searching, Searching for what they know not We warned them. This risk wasn't worth it. They lost their souls. Who took them? Even they don't know. The wind and the money! As the wind blew left The money was moving right Their souls got caught In that fierce whirlwind They were carried to a faraway place On the Islands of Bermuda They can't even reach there Or the triangle will also swallow them There is stillness. Even the air is. The lost ones are calling the Lord Lord, have mercy, once again. The stupid fools Money is a mirage Wind is an illusion Or maybe a virtual concept Money is not a measure of wealth But a mere medium of exchange, And acquisition. The wind chasers are soon lost The Lord has come thro' with his mercy But there are those who don't learn!

LIGHT IS DARK She said to me, I want to, See what you see Touch what you touch Feel what you feel. But she can't see what I see Or touch what I touch Or feel what I feel. Why? To her, light is dark. She said to me, I can, See but I can't see Touch but I can't touch Feel but can't feel. But I can't see what she sees Or touch what she touches Or feel what she feels. To her, darkness is light. But she never showed it Her black pupils never showed it She looked at me so passionately That I couldn't see: She is blind or am I?

NO MERCY Why does it have to be this way? Lord, you left me locked At the hands of her mercy I am a prisoner of hers A dog beaten down No sympathy On a leash Free me. I want to be free She doesn't see me I am a fool Tried, tested and timeless Blackout!

ACHOLI GIRL Dark, with white eyes, dark pupils A wrinkle that disfigures the tired face A sun dried skin after days of hardship Moving from the papyrus swamp; But with that pot on your head The firewood that 'disabled' your spine The dry earth you break every day with a blunt hoe To sleep with no sleep as The devil lurks in your homestead To run from the devil from Pageya to Pece To sleep on the verandas The cold nights to the scorching afternoons To return to a destroyed homestead; A full 'stomach' with poverty and hunger Soothing a defiled soul; The tears held back for there is no one to cry to Mothers of mine, It is not where but how we stand in the struggle

QUICK DEATH To aggravate the wound of a lion To aggrandise oneself To be poor To desert a woman To dream with no action To be an island To be ignorant of oneself To say the word 'can't' Is to find quick death.

SELF-DESTRUCTION We do this everyday From the way we walk To what we eat To the way we sleep All these and those we believe in, Like the axe in the tree, Like the male and female mantises, Creep up behind our backs And gradually eat us up. They destroy us. We don't even realise it Until we are 'dead' That's when we wake up To respond to it. Like HIV, it's incurable It is considerable fallible to ARVs But you can't eliminate it We always go looking for it Then when we are destroyed We blame God and it To the light years that passed From Adam to Abraham to Jacob To David to Solomon to Jesus Or maybe not, pardon me And Paul We love death We are always seeking death Tempting death Trying death Calling him at the top of our voices In his big chair, He laughs like a serpent He has mercy He respects God And Satan sometimes When you've been good; he helps you rest. When you've been bad; he's ruthless. He eliminates. Be good, for he might help you rest. Be bad, and only you will see.

SOUND OF A SMILE What you can't see You're only left to imagine, But how do you imagine, What you've never seen? What you've never had, You are left desire, But how do you desire, What you've never had? When you're born blind... You are left to imagine, What you've never seen, To desire, What you've never had. It is when touch, sound and feeling Give meaning to life. You feel safe. This is everything. When you're happy, When you're delighted, excited We know you've heard it, The sound of a smile.

EARLY MORNING The day was bright. The day was dark. They had no roofs Because I took them. They had no walls I had broken them down They cried to a stone rock The devil had turned their Small paradise into hell.

A WORKMAN AND HIS TOOLS A doctor shall play with his needles And so shall the tailor A workman shall play with his tools As the birds in the sky sing him this, A beautiful harmony But the cloth and patient, On whom the repairs or damage is done Say the least and feel the most Yet they remain with all after effects So then, why do you keep quiet When the workman tears you apart Instead of mending you? Does it not cost you most? Are you feel-less? Do you have no life at all? So degraded is our mentality and reason For existence if the workman is doing us harm Instead of good This is no revolution but a revelation Of the naked and obvious. But this is of no use If there is nothing to do about it. Sooner than, than later, I will see wrinkled and miserable peoples A product of oppression A vector to spread the apparent epidemic But the people will be asked, Was there really nothing you could do about it? Whoever asked this will also ask, Did you try cutting off the head of the workman?

OFLOVEAND OTHER STRANGE THINGS

BITTERSWEET Bitter is who I am For I am rough like the sea I am as crude as petroleum Impure as Iron I smile when the waves chant I love it when I'm red hot I laugh when I'm on fire That's how bitter I can be But sweet is who you are, Like grape wine from the orchard None can see the beauty hanging about you For none can see the inside of you You are like Mona Lisa, so pure You don't need to speak to call attention Your silence awes the world That's just how sweet you can be Bittersweet are the two of us But sweet conquers bitter But soft conquers rough And you conquer me Oh MY

HES GONE I awoke to this misty day In this thin bed sheet, I lay The wind made my body writhe Because the warmth had gone. I am alone Since he has gone. He gave me all the money, But he took my soul. I am going to weep For a lifetime, Until he comes back. Oh God, what have I done? He did not say farewell. He ran in the middle of the dark night. O you devil, why can't you steal, When I'm seeing you? I am wailing. Saints and angels, Guide him back, that beautiful robber For he has gone with my soul. Written for Nakabuye Hilda

WHEN YOURE GONE When you're gone, my world is gone My life is gone; everything is wrong My soul is sore; spirit, wounded Heart, bleeding; mind, pain-wrecked When you're gone, is when I need you most When you're gone, is when I miss you most You allow me to shake hands, with Mr Loneliness To embrace all the little warmth To delve, dwell and involve my whole In bond and friendship with him Please don't allow me, let me bond with Or be ensnared. Come back, save me. Chain me; pull me; rescue me From this Island of Ice. I'm freezing When you're gone; I'm always calling you back It doesn't matter. I still love you. Out of sight has never meant out of mind.

ARE YOU WHO I THINK YOU ARE? When I saw you, I saw the sun Dark in the night, I saw the star In the mirror, I saw the reflection But, are you who I think you are? In the forest, I heard a pony walk After the rains, I heard the doves flap So definite, so clear, but tell me, Are you who I think you are? Inside four grey walls, I saw hope Under the dark clouds, I found joy Against a rock, I saw opportunity But, are you who I think you are? I have a long canine, it weakens my smile Suppresses my joy, but calms me Crushes my pride and makes me revere But, are you who I think you are? The man in me rants about you He does not just desire, he craves For this, he can see even in the darkest dark But, are you who I think you are?

NOELINE She was born on Christmas day, Born of the Virgin Mary. Her name is Noeline. She is flawless as the purest snow. I woke up this morning, Frantic as a bat, ecstatic as a hen. She was in my coldest nightmare. Not when I was saved from the absorbing abyss, But that in which my soul was sucked out. So, I declared a state-of-emergency. She slit my throat and sucked my blood As a vampire in its most hungry state. The daughter of God killed me in cold blood. But then I awoke, alive than ever. Maybe, death is life after all. Oh, sweet daughter of Mary, Sing me a lullaby, a song to sleep. Tickle my seventh sense, with that needle of divinity Let's lie in ecstasy as Mother Theresa In this bed of roses made for Caesar and Mona Lisa. That I can die without you, there is no doubt. That I can live without you, there is doubt. I don't want to wake this Sunday. I have a sweet nightmare. Let the sensuality flow. Pulsating in each thought. Noeline has wiggled her pelvis. To tell the truth, I like what I see. But you might not. This is a two-horned slithering serpent. As I said before, this is a nightmare.

A STORY FROM MY GRANDFATHER One day, I went to my village; To see my grandfather. He told me an old story About a beautiful mistress He met in the old town; Of Agopa. She was a queen, a goddess. She loved him, As he had loved her. He was fresh from our village. His was pure love. Hers was two-sided. They bore a boy, But she didn't want to bother. The child spoilt everything. It brought poverty, And she ran off with a rich man. She left him to struggle, With a little baby, But his love never faded. When she came back to see her son He was happy. He knew she would stay But she stole her son from him Never to return.

COME TO ME I am solid I sit on the ground To stare at the stone I look at the rough wind Unable to move a limb I am sunken The whole is low, downtrodden The system is at war with itself Come to me, O my queen Save me and need me You picked up my heart The last time, nursed it Like a loving doctor I was just a stranger to you You knew it would work I shall be impotent to the world I shall be fertile to you So, let's lie, consummate Let's not wait to the end of the day For we might pay. Lie next to me, Come to me, O my queen Make me your friend, first Make me your destination, consolation My heart will be your carpet Trample on, for you are worth it. I will save you at death Dazzle me with your eyes I will make you feel like a lady, The lady you want to be. I am blessed. Thank you, Jesus. There is nothing better.

HOPE,FAITH ANDGOD

LIFE SYMPHONY As the voices played throughout the hall, They were serene as a church bell on a Sunday morning. They sailed with the cool night air. The colour of their voices sprinkled evenly into space. The odour emanating was as powerful as that of ghee. The taste, sated and suited as milk, jelly For the queen bee to eat and fatten. One person asked, Who are those dressed In white angelic albs? Where do they come from? Where? in falsetto-ridden beauty. The other one said, You, you probably know better. You tell me, each word reverberating against the air. So I said, Those were the ones whose skin was, Ripped, scarred and utterly destroyed. But they, They cleaned their blood-stained albs in the; Oasis of Life. So, they are clean. The flames of faith that burned their flesh, The smoke that rose did not mean death. But life; a new child. Born out of fire, bathed with water. What they did yesterday, It is for that that we are here today. So sing, to carry with them, the crown That crown of victory. Victory of death that brings life.

PALM SUNDAY AT THE MINOR BASILICA People from all walks of life Compare as they prepare to welcome; Jesus into Jerusalem. They stream into the Basilica Like sheep with no direction and brains. But for belief, they come with their eyes closed Palm in the hand or palm in the palm Confusion to their heads But the faith in the spirit is unmatched For it, they can walk through a furnace For it, they would swallow poison unrelentingly This Sunday is special The saviour has come to die To save our souls from eternal darkness

THE NIGHT THAT WAS Just when I hit a rock Just when I fell to the ground Just when it started to rain in my life Is when the dark settled in To God, I cried, tears rolling down Forsaken me, I thought he had Desolate was my soul By my spirit, I calmed. His word; I read By dawn and dusk Belief and faith I had; in Him But my patience waned My conscience signaled This was to be the night The time was now, ripe like never before My burdens would be lifted It was on that night Happiness filled my heart Love, joy and hope conquered me Thanks and praises to the Most High.

STICKS IN THE FIRE It was on a day Nothing like this, I expected When it came, I didn't see it It hit hard on my mind It engaged my spirit Bound my heart Ensnared my soul And chained my body No feeling like it; I'd even had before It worked its way up my spine A fire-filled, tense sensation I held it, my life I could feel how weightless it was In a stick, it was represented And I threw it into the fire My eyes burnt; But I'd done it; I'd dedicated, My past, present and future To the Most High

STOP THAT TRAIN Stop that train, I'm leaving This has never been my home I'm going to go away I don't know where but I'll go. I want to go to a place Where I'll be welcome As a native, rightfully And considered part of humanity I want to meet people; Of other races, languages, To be shown love Kindness and heart Stop that train, I'm leaving I know it won't be too long Whether I'm right or wrong Stop that train, I'm leaving My god will guide me Whether in the jungle or wilderness Or in the forests or mountains Adieu, to all my friends, I'm gone Inspired by the Bob Marley song Stop That Train

SATISFY MY SOUL Make me want nothing Nothing of this world Let me not desire Nor plan to desire Sanctify all that you give Make my body pure Cleanse my heart My robes are scarlet with sin Only you can make them white Satisfy my soul Give me grace Show me the way It doesn't matter how long I can wait a thousand years For you made and own all time Give me strength More eternal than eternal Holier than holy More saintly, graceful Than the angels, saints Satisfy my soul

LIFEGUARD I've seen you in my nightmares The horrors, the worst of them The blackness and darkness The blood, evil and Satan Flesh eating monsters You come and rescue me You pull my hand away, When the viper is about to; Push its poisonous fangs into me. But, who are you? I wonder Why are you there in my time of trouble? You are invisible. You don't want me to talk to you. Oh, guardian angel! Open up to me. Let us be friends. I know you are my friend Because you save me. Please, let me know you. If you don't want, please Don't stop saving me Because I need you. Chao, Mr. Invisible.

ME,NATURE ANDTHEM

THE PROPHET I: THE WARNING Listen unto me, O my people For I bring prophecies from far and wide The end of our time is near But our souls have only started to live. It is not of my own thought but of the dreams And wonders the eternal God reveals to me The heavens and hell were there in the beginning And continue to be. I warn you, brethren, not out of love but fear For your souls may be subjected to mortal danger If you don't repent and turn from your wicked ways II: RESPONSE O, you talker, serpent spitting venom of deceit. From the beginning existed those like you, Who told falsehoods, fashionable fibs To be recognised. Those died, were washed off the face of the earth But supernaturally left more remnants than before. You, great talker, are the problem. You created the laws, the opposites. Heaven and hell, light and darkness You judge our souls, Resigning them to eternal damnation. But no one is meant to judge. Only he who is perfect should be the first to cast The stone at a sinner. Treacherous brothers, who have turned away from us, We want to forgive your wrongs But you are arrogantly unrepentant. Go to the wilderness and preach to the stones But the door of home is always open.

THE STONE This morning, hours after the cock's crowing I heard a sound at my door, someone knocking My friend, who mistook shouting for calling, Was there. The slumber tempting, But my duty was begging. A mistake I made; a fool I was to forget to atone For the past night's lustful dreams I had to do this for I had sworn Luck let loose of me. I hit my toe on a stone A fool, I was born. Instead of admitting my mistake, I cursed God. To je ne sais quoi-rise my behaviour is hard But quid pro quo serves me right, I think I will learn my lesson with time To be humble with the urge to rumble is not easy To see, think and not rethink (dream) is not easy A solution to life, I must find

STRONG WIND I met a strong wind; that swept me off my feet I met a strong wind; that made me want to fly It made me want to smile, and to cry To kiss, and to look up to the sky. I felt a chill; it run down my spine I had this tingly feel; to the realms, I went I met a strong wind; See the hummingbirds; how they hum! When it opened up the way, I couldn't resist the move. The wind touched my body, made it hotter. What I didn't know, these winds carried the heat. Meet me on the other side... Be with me, strong wind, That took me to heaven in the reindeer train, And brought me back on the magician's carpet. I met a strong wind; that swept me off my feet That led me to the edge and I fell over; Into paradise.

RAIN When it rains, the market vendors cry foul The street hawkers anguish, jobseekers worry The working class is in distress because of the mud Floods engulf our land, the sacred city The city, they say, provides the daily potato That provides the water that quenches The innermost thirst But somewhere... As the mud layer thickens As raindrops hit hard on the thatches As the thunderstorms pounds harder, roars louder People thank god in the heavens People rejoice; this day of blessing and luck; Though their voices and cheers Are swallowed by the loud storms, They continue in their moment of merriment For this pronounces good luck, fortune Nothing better than that.

CRY TO ME To the last of Seth's time The earth rested on water But the water was on the earth; And everything in air Then a fire at its centre The water turned into blood The earth turned to flesh The fire churned the product The air brushed through it Then it was done He will not be blamed Maybe, I.

MISTY MORNING I woke up on this misty morning; I can't see the future; my path is clouded My efforts to see into it are futile, vain Then, I stand and stare into the smoky path. On this day, I can't help feeling kinky And the thorns, I know, feel prickly But I'm sure that if you queried me I would only tell you to free yourself

ROGUE I Confusion never stops. As when the dog barks, And there might be no intruder. As when the monkeys chatter, Whilst a snake attempts to bite 'em. As when the eagle swoops down, When there is no prey in sight. When a man treads upon the earth, Without aim, caution or direction, He is as that eagle, monkey or dog. Before the passing of a long time, He will turn rogue as the wild game, As he may have been hungry, In times past. So beware, man or woman or child! These are many, Some in plain, old dirty rags Others in suits and ties, wearing smiles, In the hours of the sun. As the sun goes to sleep, They lurk in the dark. They depend on rats, lizards and geckos That stray into their paths. Yesterday, one was sighted, shameless, Mouth dripping with blood, smiling As though the devil had come to take them home. So beware of this scum, For it is everywhere!

ROGUE II He walks, as though lost Without anything but desperation. He walks, as though ashamed Without love and hope. He is a sufferer. Without, no. Within, yes. Nothing yet, he has gained As though everything is lost, so he feels He sees so much he can't have. It is at arm's length. Searing pain! Needles in the wound! This was in the past. Now, the pain is toned down Numbed as a kick to the groin! He gave all he had till it was done He received none, not a penny. As he sits down upon a public lawn, He wonders, to the high heavens To the God he didn't believe in, What he should do now? Sell his soul to the devil? Steal, kill or destroy? His patience is thin for, He is about to turn rogue!

MY MAN, COTINGO Cotingo is a human, but of some rare gene He is not special, but he is queer He has a certain taste; a taste for misfortune He is so negative; no space for good His livelihood seems to dwell on the sorrows of men When others cry foul, happiness fills him He is a pessimist, sadist, miser, and crude, inhuman When you meet him one day, pretend to hit a stone He'll seem to swell, chest outwards, like a frog He'll beam with a big broad smile My man, Cotingo The first words that come out of his mouth, I hate... then, he'll think hard and say, I hate the trouser you are wearing Though not like Thaddeus Who always wears a sinister grin, hates people This man likes people, and happiness He always finds something to hate, dislike, detest To become excited, happy He always carries a pretentious smile The wickedness that belies his face But I'm surprised; he is happy at all times There is every reason to be, for him, Because misfortune, death never stop falling Poverty, ignorance and disease; endless wrecking Nature is also siding with him, getting angry. Why?! Earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, cyclones Are never ceasing in these times And so is his excitement, laughter and merriment My man, Cotingo Inspired by Ernest Bazanyes Thaddeus from Bad Idea

MY CANCERS CANCER I: I tried to fight this illness, which I thought would submit For some time, I thought it had gone. But, no. It lodged in my heart and brain and mind And prepared a silent comeback, And it has come back stronger. It eats me up. I am a rotting mass of flesh, Waiting for God to take me away. A virus. A devilish but divine-looking demon Eats away at my soul and heart. Sooner than later, the blood will pour into my thorax. She will suck it dry and I will die, In slow motion pain. I was given two options; To accept, and not fight, and have my life a little longer. To reject, and fight, and see my life faster to the grave. She sits there innocently, smiling. My friends call her a nubile, Nubian temptress. She radiates subtleness, tenderness, no harm intended. Yet she stirs my loins. She's a vampire, That I've fallen in love with. I want to hold her tight; my arms around her body, And allow her to fly me hell. The aim of a cancer is to make you regret, Everything you did not do, When you were healthy. But I won't regret. I will accept and live longer. Hell on earth! When I die, I'll go to Heaven. I'm slim, frail and vulnerable. Hail Mary! Hail the temptress, That has got me begging for dear life. I feel the bones and nerves numb. The pulse of my heart is slowly slowing. My heart has stopped beating. I died faster than I expected. Bye.

CANCER II: It is degenerate; The cancer that eats up my brain and mind Is an obsession. A worthless obsession, That developed into the tumour that I suffer from. The lifeless numbers! I hate you Pascal, Pythagoras, Fibonacci, Newton, Einstein, Huygens and the rest. You cause me to dream infinite series. Why, Lord, did I come in contact with this? I don't know what it is, slimy substance. I wish I could wake up when it is all gone. Everyone wanted the addition. So, I deemed it harmless. How foolish I was? Now, it shortens my life, aggravates my death. Oh Lord, save me.

FROM THE ELDER I woke up early this morning Looked out of the window I saw the cornfield that covered All my land. I woke up today, To the sweet smell of desert air. To whom do I owe this great favour? This would make a lion wake from his lair. And just to make it fair, Someone came out to see; the friar. I was lying on an outstretched lawn, Looking up at the sky. Something made me yawn. So, I had to ask the question, why? All these stupid, whimsical thoughts Keep filling my mind. Why? Oh! I thought that Virgo's thoughts Had infected mine. My bias against woman; More stupid! It is now that I realise, If you want to make sense, you'll make it. If you don't want to, you won't! So, it is a choice; your choice. My uncle of old used to say, God is not jealous otherwise, He would not let us choose between Right and wrong. He knows our flaws. God is, rather, fair. He lets us choose to or not to do His will, And how's that for a jealous individual.

BEND DOWN LOW Bend down low, Let me tell you what I know. Secrets about what you know, And what you don't. And when the boat will row. One day, I woke up in the blackest darkness of night. The grass beside my dormitory house writhed with pain For the rough winds strangled it mercilessly. The bright moon had disappeared into the night And there was no good in sight. But the bed beside mine was empty For I had touched it, and felt it needy. But I heard someone outside the window, muttering In a dialect more complex than Amharic; incantation. So I got up to check, the door was already open. The wind was whistling the most evil tunes. I peeped but saw no one. I went out fully to check the side veranda. There he was, Phileas, stark naked, Singing war-like songs in that dialect. His pupils had turned in and the eyes were white. I called out to him but he stood as though stunned. Then, in swift motion, he attacked me, With a knife, so I ran back into the dorm house, Scared as a terrified hare. He stopped at the doorway, Licked his lips and knife and vanished. I touched his bed but this time he was there, Sound asleep like a baby. The devil has come; next to my bed if not it. The sorcerers have started to reign, Blood is no deal, it's the price. The devils rule the night. Bend down low, Let me tell you what I know. Secrets about what you know, And what you don't. And when the boat will row.

RAT IN MI KITCHEN In my sleep, dreams; as I roam the pathways Of fantasy; I hear happy squeals I am not used to it, as these become my own But I seem not to know the source of these sounds My slumber is badly shattered As aluminium collided with cement As the saucepan connects with the floor I continue to hear crackling, someone tackling With sounds rattling; there is an invader But I want to know; I wake up to find out I've seen it, small and minute; rodent There's a rat in mi kitchen

STONE ERA Birds play and chase each other Butterflies idle together Caterpillars eat leaves The dinosaurs fight and devour each other The peckers feast on the tree The dinosaurs are evolving But the stones persist The principle is the stone The basis and the foundation Chimps and apes turn into humans Stones remain to say We are here to lead Not with the mouth But with action

ECSTASYAND AGONYAMID THEWILD

RABBIT AND HARE Good day, Rabbit, Hare greets I'm so glad I'm meeting you I notice you look like me Or is it me who looks like you? First things first, Rabbit, my friend I would like you to join my family I am willing to show you any kind of trick Cunningness, I will teach you, show you For I've never seen a beauty as astounding as you Come let's be together, Hare suggests in a pleading tone Rabbit gives him a long piercing look Like as though she's even considering his offer The tension is hair-raising for Hare. He can hardly look Rabbit in the eye. You interest me, Hare True to the word, you are; Cunning, sweet yet tricky I know you only want a piece of me Like the rest who came before you And those that came before me Your other man has impressed me He could easily satisfy my needs But what am I to you? A hawker, vendor or merchant of flesh? A slave or a plaything? Cheap or valueless? As she marches away furiously.

CHEETAH AND LION Joyous; let this day be this way for you But, Cheetah my friend, I have no friend It has become a problem now that I'm aging, Lion laments in a tone of a death row inmate. Come be with me, be by my side Don't you see? We look alike. We are brothers. We all have fur. Don't leave me in my time of trouble This world is a round one One day, you could be in this position Asking one of my kin for help. Please, don't leave me. Cheetah stands back, watches carefully And bursts out into a torrent of laughter... Clever and cunning, you've always been You say you have no friend and yet you say I am your friend, continuing to laugh loudly. It is a dry season now No food, everyone is starving And you want to make me food In the name of cat brotherhood No way. Go trick those of your own race Every man for himself, God for us all. May the gods have mercy on you. It's your turn. Cheetah bursts into laughter, Again.

KILLER WHALE AND SHARK Hello, are you well, Whale? Shark greets in a soothing voice. I hope you are well. I don't want Brothers of mine dying anyhow. Why the smooth concern? Whale retorts You only care if I kill you some food. Do you think, 'Tis a hobby of mine working for you? Do you think I'm your slave? I don't think so, Shark replies with humble appeal Come, let's live together We own these lands, these vast waters Let's conquer all seas and oceans Only the two of us can. I am no fool, Whale almost barking. I know what you're after. Use me, and then throw me away, Just like a teabag, a slut, a whore. Why do you believe in manipulation? 'You can fool others any time, But you can't fool others all the time.'

PYTHON AND COBRA Who is in my backyard? Who's stalking me? Python hisses in her small voice. Hello, hello, Cobra comes out, clearing his voice I'm not stalking, white Lily I only wanted to notify you, of your slithering beauty The way you glide, turn your waist As you turn round corners; There's one thing, I'm astonished Come, oh, come, darling of mine. Marry me, oh, marry me. We shall bear children Who both your strength and my venom, they'll have They will be unbeatable, unstoppable Come, let's make the future, conquer the green For this is our land, always has been. God gave us. No, never. Never! I can never allow that. My children with venom? No! My children don't kill with bullets. They strangle. This shows wit and strength. Spitting venom is cowardice. You'd rather bite, than spit venom. If I had children with you, they'd be very ugly. With those bat ears! No, no. This can't be! Python goes away, hissing with rage.

ECSTASY AMID THE WILD Sing me a song, Queen of the Wild. Hum me a tune, Princess Sheena Let each sweet syllable loosen my heart The birds in the sky will be mesmerised The lions of the jungle will be humbled The elephants shall trumpet no more Like they used to, for you guide the way The music speaks all tongues, languages A hiss of love to the serpent A bleat of joy to the goat For an antelope to make a leap of kindness For a crane to sore high and bright An eagle to hug a hen in brotherhood Music of nature A harmony by Mary and the angels A symphony by the monkeys For the warthog to dance for hope is here Wasp: Hug me, embrace me, brother Bee And this is the song that was sung thro' the wild: 'Sing for joy, sing for peace Let everyone come into the shining light This is our home, we should defend our blood Not trying to fight here between ourselves Mr Rhino, Mr Hippo peace and love Let everyone swear to defend this land Oh brothers, this is the home for our little young ones They don't deserve the hatred exposed to them We provide them the future, we are the guiding light' They heard the song from the queen, In all their tongues, they learnt it And they sang it and their children sang it And the Garden of Eden was back here With no Adam and Eve to cause anarchy Paradise was home again

DEDICATIONS

A POEM FOR THE ANGRY CITIZEN Cast your burdens unto me For I am your leader I will bear them all as I swore to do I will be your messiah, pray to me I, your god, have not forsaken you I will turn your dusty roads into gold I will help you traverse distances in development no one has It is our secret, O, my people I don't want the rest to think I am biased

FOR THE TAIL FAIRY Smile from ear to ear; let the world glow with happiness Talk. The stray hounds may only turn an ear to you The wine of your soul; pour it out for it tastes like kindness To have a heart that considers, there is no bigger gift To cry shiny tears, there is no greater wonder To have seen, talked to, smiled with; I am satisfied

FOR THE GODDESS OF LIGHT A stern, principled but flexible lady Exceptional is your understanding; Your grace continues to awe the world To say silence speaks a thousand words That is an understatement Your silence teaches, guides, speaks, warns me The Aloe Vera branch could prick But its juice heals all infections.

TO ACQUAINTANCES To friends, collaborators To orators, greatness Failure is not for us We rise above, against all odds. A winner is made. A victor is born.

FOR TIME As time goes, the beauty of the day fades Light to darkness; evil at reign over good The darkness of man's heart is revealed Devil on the loose; rituals in the occult All wickedness and profanities are performed As time goes, the radiance of the sun is Once again bestowed upon the Earth To life and righteousness There is hope with it The brutality of our hearts is suppressed Each ray with its penetrating power Touching depths measured in arbitrary values For only they can reach the innermost God provides, rescues, gives light Time provides bad and good Night and day, life and death But never falls to any side Time recycles itself through our offspring Bear with care for you reduce your time like a dinging chime Our fathers gave us time to use the most it And pass it on to our offspring; do not be selfish We prolong time like a trickster's tower of cards Add a card and the tower proceeds like the one at Babel Add a child and time has no end

FOR DEMOCRITUS You are the atom of the world You saw us before we were born You knew what we would be No eyes saw more No mind thought more For without you, there would be no Newton No Dalton, Rutherford, Planck Rest your greatness

TO ION OF CHIOS There are only three things A trio; for to achieve excellence You must have; you saw, said and I saw So, I tell Intelligence It does befit understanding It can be developed on soil One can choose to build it For the knowledge attained Assists us interpret oneself and others And then the environment Power It is everything Without it, the soul is worthless Wealth is no where to invest A poor man with no hope I have the power for it is implanted me I have conquered Fortune Blind-belief is not me Guess work is not my area of expertise Fortune comes to one who makes it Fortune does not fall from heaven like manna One's decisions create one's fortune Fortune, luck comes to those who work hard Ion let me carry your staff of direction To show me how to direct others the way you directed me

HAIL JOAN Joan of the East Voluptuous like a beet root Owe your grace to the Feline Your taste to the sunbird Hail Mary! Hail Joan! Don't slit my throat

TO THE KINGS DAUGHTER I have never seen claws; so sharp yet so blunt The eagle is wasted. The raven, too. The eagle is a dove. I have never seen wind; so rough yet slow The wind is wasted. The wind is fresh air. I am running away. Red wine is white. The vodka is lemon juice. Threshold. Turn page. Your eyes are deaf. They will listen now. Your ears are blind. They will see now.

THECEMETERY ATAGOPA

HELL HOUNDS ON MY TRAIL... They say stars rotate around your head, But I see demons everywhere. The stars have turned red. Horned beasts surround me. My blood is getting cold. My thoughts are spinning. Metal bars rise from each side. I'm trying run but two imps, Hold my feet still. Hell boys haunting me! Silly horned men, Why do you chase me? What have I done to you? Leave me alone, you sick devils!

CONCEPT OF EVIL It does not make you a coward It makes you unstoppable Callous. Yes! You flow with no friction No parallax. Everything is clear. Mystical power Sorcery Witchcraft and wizardry Hell Blood Nasty stuff Without evil, would we know good? Without death, would we know life? Without Satan, would know God? So, evil has use? Do no evil, do no bad Do as thou wilt; left with no control No saviour. Do evil; do bad A misguided child. Let's make toast, With this black wine; to darkness and its forces Satan and his angels

THE CEMETERY AT AGOPA Open your eyes; but don't see Open your mouth but no sound comes out See the others shouting; but don't hear a thing You are numbed by your own thoughts Trapped and ensnared by the little Devil; the imp There is a thorn in my back; without curare, yes. Stronger than scorpion venom; I'm paralysed. My devil chokes the life out me. I can't shout because no one can hear. So, I die alone. I will be long gone by the time you find me. Meet my Hell.

AFRICAN CHEMISTRY In every word is a sign In every sign, there is a line In every line, there is time A time for the spine To realise that it is on the frontline The spirits of the dead hover To haunt or to guide The herbsman picks a thorn leaf To pierce a fruit containing sweet juices Or plant it in your neck One reactant, two opposite products A rootsman falls ten times But he rises ten times For his soul is a fire of the gods That does not burn out Chicken blood, eggs A calabash, a ritual for cleansing Musambwa, musisi, all for one soul It is chemistry by belief It was, is and will be for us A rosary and a herb all in hand Nyabinghi is my priestess They called us dark, we show them light They judge us, we don't judge They don't understand

WITHIN TO WITHOUT Even in the moonlight, There's more darkness than light. The midnight darkness calling me in. Evil winds soothing my wicked soul. Devils, candles, soothsayers. Visions, lights, lightning, thunder, blackouts. Virgins crying, blood can't stop flowing. The pain is unbearable; even I can't stand it. The blood lions feed on; the vultures will too. I am a savage animal. I drink blood; demons told me, I would be strong. I sold my soul to the devil. A bleeding heart; a cursing spirit I can't believe I mean it. My ghosts are here to haunt me. Virgin, weep for me. But you can't save me, Allowing to be set on fire. Break! Open up your eyes, though you can't see the light. Every other day, vanity becomes more realistic. Listening to the angels and wishing I was there. Incense tickling my nostrils, but no blessing is forthcoming. Nine lives is what I initially wanted, but now Even a million won't be enough For my fate is black.

ISLAND OF TRETA I am sickened at the thought Yet there is a calling at the threshold Open your hands from the fold Pick up your gold It is tiring to be old, but Would you rather die young? Ironic; stupid; witty; fitting Comparison and contrast; all in one The fools have fallen for it; Leprechaun gold More like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow A soul lost and never found Spirit has been ensnared by the Devil I never had life, I never had a fear Now I have life but I really don't care It's fair. It's rare. You might hurt yourself Looking for the gold You fall, get bruised, and injured You rise, fall again, rise Don't you learn? Fools.

THE CHRONICLES I went to the sea, I saw a lion I went to the forest, I saw my dog I went to my home, I saw a rhino I went to the kennel, I found a hyena One plus one turned to five Two plus two turned to seven The sun turned dark The Devil turned into the light The lizard ate the snake The frog ate the toad The fools became wise Everyone was me I was the best It was queer Everyone was mad I thought we were joking The cog on which I stood turned into; A mountain Then I cried like a baby. Everyone laughed That's when I realised I had gone out of my mind I looked at myself without my mind Laughed my head off and went back inside The priests were drunk. Stupid sots, I call them The nuns sucked on the brothers The pope encouraged them The cardinals spread the word The bishops masturbated The reverends got hard-ons Mary got pissed The Devil cursed them; then he laughed hard They would all find him; waiting for them The demons sang praises as the saints wept The wrath of God shall come; The heretics and heathen will not survive Total destruction. The fools are dead, Before they even die

JULY, 1919 I drank French wine I smelled the malt of German beer I felt the urge to dine Her breasts were so fine Then all hell broke loose... The devil was cast down to the earth A wounded Lion, he was Fire on my dinner table Curse him.

THORNS AND NEEDLES Take me to the lion's den; I will find peace there Let me swim in a crocodile swamp; My soul will be at ease Snakes are friends of mine; Strong, long and fast I feed them all the time But when I turn my back There is a needle in my back Acupuncture I can't move, I'm beaten I prefer a thorn in my neck

MONSTER I'm a monster I'm an animal I'm a scoundrel I'm a scavenger I'm an imp I'm reason I'm an angel I'm a gentleman Suit and tie I'm human I'm wrong I'm everything I wouldn't want to be I order the rain to stop I have to leave I don't care who it hurts I am an alien I disgust all humans I look like sugar I taste like Aloe Vera juice I am the devil's snare I live in the dark I have no soul No conscience I am black as a jaguar I was born so, Do you blame me? I could be your best friend I could be a shoulder When you need to cry But when I need food Run for your life Just let me be; breath.

EPILOGUE: SOLITUDE The land scandals; they have wrecked my home My people are greedy; eating up each other Their own flesh; cannibals Wealth and money is their motivation The black thorn that will tear their jugulars My people are lost; eyes clouded by smoke No, this is mist The children die Not of death or disease But rape and strangulation The horned fellow said, He would give them Their hearts' desires Have mercy on the babies Cutting off their genitals Heads, arms; murderers Who owns money, I ask? They told of those men They have wealth beyond The realms of the earth and waters And they still want more What are we going to remain with? They want it all, those billionaires Let the wrath of God rain on their materialistic souls My land has been bathed; soaked Coloured red, with blood Blood from war; blood of the lambs Blood of the children has been spilled On the ground, like the Red Sea We shall drink blood; blood of our own We are cursed!! The laws have been tilted The outlaws are taking over The police have turned against us The army are shooting us down The judges eat bribes Sentencing us to 'hang' While we are innocent Hope; after the fall, we still stand Potholes in my roads Potholes in my leaders Potholes in my elders Potholes in my head Who will we survive Uganda?

The land is dry The skin is dry The animals are dry We starve, we raid Karamoja. They don't care about us Then to my brothers Acholi brothers; blood brothers Kony, why do we kill each other? We are of the same womb But we tear our skins as lions on deer meat This is self-destruction Why!! Our mothers have cried Our sisters have cried Mary has; tears of blood Blood for us; the blood does not run out We ignore, so the river never stops running For they don't stop crying Defiled, raped, disgraceful, stained What has remained of the woman, The African woman that once was? Lost, dark, evil, devilish Is what is said of womanhood today Stray breasts, horned sharks Slaves of the Devil But will they change? For this, I shall call on God. Like a whirlwind, it has not spared anyone But shall we blame it, or those who made it? Maybe, no. Maybe, yes. But it stands in the way of the pure and impure In the way of the rapists and the faithful So where does HIV lie? It is bad to both good and bad I shall not lose my mind over this This man is just a sadist I will fight you to the death of me Remember, I died fighting. I'm a hero. The plague never stops wrecking The drama never stops Challenge after challenge We encounter with renewed courage and happiness We hope the sun rays of today will be stronger, Brighter and sharper than the ones of yesterday. I am in solitude; in this rock solid prison With no consolation; away from my life No friend, not even an enemy Forced like a slave, whipped like a thief Oppressed like a peasant Maybe it is just me I have created this; an island of hard nature

A paradise of crocodiles and lions So I can survive natural selection.