Saturday 28 December 2013

EXHIBITION




A time when love
Must prove you
Productive
Strong
Worthy
To be pruned
The scissors
Snaps,
Its sharp steel
Blade
Slicing away
At the overgrowths
A lone tree now stands
Rounded to perfection
Bold green leaves
Firmly rooted
And specked
With
Ripen fruit




 That time when fire
Must prove you
Precious
Tolerant
Able
To endure
The flames
Rage,
Fiery tongues
Laving flesh off
To reveal
The hidden gem
A refined metal
Now lies
Nestled
In glory
Glowing
Bright
And beautiful






The time when ice
Must prove you
A possession
Treasured
Worth
The keeping
Cold vapour
Rises
Its fangs
Slowing the heart
Numbing
Yet preserving
The truss of grapes
Now is presented
After days
With juice still
Fresh
And fruit
In good shape






The time when the world
Must prove you
A misfit
Unwanted
Rejected
Denied
The jests
Increase
Their Spite
Grow
Tears
Freely flow
Seeming sad
Yet infinitely
Refreshing
The new creature
Now takes flight
Into light
Reveling
In warmth
That radiates
From within
Making her shine






When the fair
Starts
Tree,
Gem,
Fruit,
New being
Will be laid
On pedestals
Lifted high
Above
The rest

Thursday 26 December 2013

STEPS



Looking
Down
At my foot
Move up 
Then out

Letting
Joy in
As it lands
On
Fine earth

The move...
First
Of 
Many.



Soon
Old diaries
Will begin 
To collect
Dust
Which
Will be blown 
Off
When the child
Of a child
Gets to 
That faintly familiar 
Point
That was muse of those
Forgotten volumes

Only then
Will they
Be taken down
And read


After 
Three
Long
Nights
The sun 
Is risen

And 
Shadows
Become visible

But 
The immortal tongue
Of the wise
Guides

They say
Do not 
Regard
The shadows
Do not
Fear them


Oh how sad
The sun
Must be
To see
You tremble 
Before these
Knowing it
Was it 
That exposed 
Them all


If you'd  fear 
The snake,
Then 
You must fear
The snake charmer 
Even more






Thursday 19 December 2013

WONDROUS TALE




Can I stand 
Before you 
Right here
And sing
A solemn solo
Of one who
Found me
On a dark alley
All alone
Cold
 And dying
One 
Moonless
 Night?

Can I cry 
Refreshing 
Tears
As I tell 
Of the deep
Dark
Wild
Of terrors
Bloodthirsty 
Night creatures;
Present
At a gothic dance
Of horror
And I
Helplessly
Tossed
About
Like 
A rag doll…
Almost…
Almost…
Dead

Can I lay in joy now
And just breathe?

I cannot
I do not
Recognize me
Truly 
This must 
Be 
New

I smile 
At the stranger
In the mirror
And reach out
Wanting to 
Touch
The glow
In that smile

Is it
Could it
Be
It is
It sure is
Me?

Can I 
Whisper it
Speak it
Scream it
Write endlessly 
Of it
Can I….
Can I say it!

It is a 
Warm
Golden
Enveloping
Sort of
Feeling
That rose 
With the sun
And 
Spelt out
A new name 
For me
In the scroll 
Of the skies

Do you see
The 
Jubilation
I see
When I look up?

Do you feel
The peace that 
Settles
On my spirit
Like mist?

Do you just know
Deep down
Like I do
That it is well?

From now
Till the end
Of time

Do you hear it?
The sound
Of cherubs’ wings
Flutter?

Oh Can I…

Can I
 Tell you
This wondrous tale?

Saturday 7 December 2013

THIS SEASON


Seeing the half-naked 
Kids
Dance-walking 
Down the street
To the kiosk
 In that corner
To buy try-your-luck 
Balloons
With their faces 
White from 
Their morning baths
Is what this season is about

Catching the boys 
Toss knock-outs
Under Grandpa’s 
Old rickety car
At dusk
With their mismatched
Slippers and 
Oversized shirts balled up in the back
While they run for cover
Not knowing
Grandpa has seen them all
Is what this season is about

Turning on the TV
And hearing 
A local choir
Sing Hallelujah Chorus
In discord
Dressed in old robes
Yet smiling through
Their almost 
Sorry performance
And so you care not 
That they
Sing it wrong
Because their aged faces 
Are so jolly
Is what this season is about

The ringing out
Of Afehyia Pa
And the cheerful
Hope-filled
Afe-nkɔ-mmɛto-yɛn-biom
We hear all around us
Though the year
Had not been
One long sweet dream
Is what this season is about

So it is when we march up to 
Where one road ends
And another
Unknown path
Begins
That we, 
As one people
Stand and wait
Eager for the new
Saying in our hearts
May it be good

It is what this season’s about

Friday 6 December 2013

SCARLET JOY


She cannot
Remember
What
It does
Not feel like,
This cancer
That eats at her

Stiff-necked,
Half-deaf
She pens
Words
That
Lie
Limp
On
A
Greying
Page

They come
In spasms
Like the
Throbbing
Of her sunken
Veins

They break
Her spirit

Cold
Tears
Betray
Her resolve

Death racks
The body
Of the
Poet

Death,
Her uncanny muse

Sprawled
Before the altar
She prays

Lead her
To the heart
Of Pilate's
Court,
Silent listener

Lead her
To
Scarlet Joy

Thursday 5 December 2013

THEY SAY...



The day came 
And ended
And I did not see it
Time stole 
Its way past me
While I dozed
Under fluorescent lights

They say a shadow 
Will cross 
My bed
And snuff out
My breath
While I lay here
Shivering

They say fear 
Will come 
Speeding 
Behind it
Circle my neck,
And wrench 
Sorry sobs
Out from 
My insides

They say it's horrid
When it lasts
That I should pray
It acts fast

That when everything
Starts going cold
I should just smile
And let go

They say that's so 
I'll look pretty
When I'm laid in state
That's when I knew
What it was
They were talking
About

The day came
And ended
And I did not see it

Neither did I see 
Death.
As they described
It

I guess
I'm going to be laid in state
With a look of surprise 
On my face

Thursday 28 November 2013

COMMUNAL HEART



Heartless, 
She starts
Her journey
Creating a heart
For herself
With pieces
From each soul
She encounters

She passes,
Leaving broken things 
Behind her
In frantic search
For another piece
To attach to 
A growing heartbeat
A little piece of sadness
A little piece of joy
A little piece of every being
That crossed her unlevelled path

She moves on
Leaving torn things
Behind her
Fearing to look back
At the bloody mess
She labours on
The warm treasure
Pulsing in her arms
A little piece of madness
A little piece of sanity
A little piece of every man
That stopped to ask her name

Soon she has 
A heart of her own
Woven from lives
That touched her soul
Fitting it,
Her chest feels warm
Loving its
Strange occupant
Making it feel at home
But she had been left
All alone
For all those who
Ever mattered
Were just pieces
Of her heart.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

MUST WE...



Must we  struggle 
So much to reach a core
Must we wrench our hearts
Out in search of love
Must we bleed 
In rivulets
Down dirt-stained
Faces onto heavy chests
Must we lose this much
Moisture through sweat
And tears
Must we lie here 
Kicking our lean legs
In the stale air
Must we languish 
In waves of horror
Crashing against the rocks 
That line a filthy shore
Must we labour to catch 
A toxic breath
And swallow groans
While letting out
Tiny pockets of
Gas through clenched teeth
Must we, O dear God 
Must we suffer so?

Monday 18 November 2013

ROUGE DISTRACTION



The apple
Sits atop an old book
 - its yellowed leaves 
Coated with decades of dust

The deep rouge of the fruit
Gives it a classic look 
of perfection

It sits there
Beckoning.

Mirror-surfaced
Red beauty
Looks ready to burst-
Taut with sweetness

Strange hunger draws me
To that scene

I sit
And stare

The seconds pass
A sigh escapes

Reaching out
For the food in sight
I eagerly devour it

Slowly
As the hunger leaves

The apple sits
And stares


Saturday 16 November 2013

HULA-HOOPER




Rings of different colours
Twirl round a tiny body
All in sync
At top speed in
A crazy harmony

The body moves
To guide the hoops
As they dance,
 Circling her frame

The audience applaud
And
Roses are thrown
At the performer's feet

An effortless stunt
They thought they'd seen
A graceful, exciting stunt

But life was her
And the rings her strife
And they all went 
Twirling - crazed.

Her world 
Was a stage
The people
An  audience
And she, 
A hula-hooper





Tuesday 12 November 2013

SOME SWEET SOMETHING



Something rises 
From the dust
Wafts into hearts
Mending tears
And sealing cracks

Something emerges
From the ash
Wanders into dreams
Rewriting memories
And wiping off soot

Something opens up 
And pours pure joy 
Upon tired souls
Turning hearts
To doves
The stone 
To wool

Something comes down 
And breathes fresh dew 
Into dry mouths
Splaying rose petals
At our calloused feet

Something
Touches us
Some sweet something 
Raises us
That calm something
Sits with us
And gently whispers

"Peace"

It is that something....
That something...

That keeps me.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

SILENCED



Sitting here
In deep thought,
The gentle breeze
Carries a tune

My whole life 
Was sang
In that song
While
Nostalgic tears 
Stung my eyes

I ventured out
Into the sun
And looked up 
Into the sky

With 
Trembling hands,
My tongue 
Stretched out,
I sliced 
That tiny member 
Off

Out with you 
You unbridled thing
Out with you
Now

You have made 
This song
A bitter tune
And made 
This wind
A pain

SHIPWRECK



Raging storm,
Howling sea
The ship is left
Unguarded

The winds hit 
Its bruised sides,
Dangerously 
Tilting
This way,
 And that

It dips 
And rises
Creaks 
And groans,
It hits 
Against
The ocean rocks

The rudder 
Has got
Its moment 
Of glory
Going wild 
With
No captain 
As a guide

The ship 
Will break
Into a thousand
Pieces
Scattered 
In the heart
Of the sea

All will be lost
In the vast 
Deep blue
The vessel,
Along
With the rudder.

Monday 4 November 2013

SANITY HER BANE



Lost
 In a hazy valley,
The poet
Stumbles 
And falls

A familiar abyss
Beckons her
Where 
Some strange love
Was felt

Yet curious much
She yearns to know
What the light 
Has got in store

The possibility 
Of never finding 
Herself
And the waiting
Weakens her`

See, 
The poet is dying
Word after word
Palsied
For days on end

It is her undoing
This quiet she feels
The dam
Stands undisturbed

O break now,
Precious dam
Break now,
And fill this valley up

The poet 
Has lost her
Insanity
And normalcy
Devours her
She's
Stranded
In a daunting
Centre
Longing 
For 
A chance
To breathe.


Friday 18 October 2013

MEA CULPA




Settling down 
Long enough 
To note 
My fear
Paying close attention, 
I hear
Dark voices 
Snicker in my head,
Knowing 
I will soon snap
And murder them
In cold blood

Their shrieks echo
A forewarning...

"Many more voices to be born."

A chant I get high on.

O this darkness...

Mea Culpa!


In the cradle 
Lies pain
Wrapped up 
Delicately
Comfortable in its sleep
I dread its waking
Yet I nurse it
Rocking
That daunting cradle
Back 
And forth

It creaks loudly
Taunting me;

"I wouldn't be sleeping for long.

Conscious 
Of my unconscious 
Anticipation
Of its waking

O this sweet agony...

Mea Culpa!


Before this canvas
I stand
Painting
A self portrait
Hours of brush-dipping
Colour dripping
Strokes 
And 
Strokes
And it's done
A canvas
Painted
Dark
Red

Its boldness mirroring me

"This is you, inside-out"


O this torturous vision...

Mea  Maxima Culpa!





Note: Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that translates into English as "through my fault". It is repeated three times in the prayer of confession at the Catholic Mass: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa — "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault".









Tuesday 1 October 2013

CUSTOMIZED CONFESSION





“Anytime you say you’re coming over, I get very excited, eager for night to fall so you’d sneak in like you always do. It affects my concentration actually, because I end up fantasizing all through the day. Yes, that is why I always try something new when you come. Take the other night for instance. My hair in your fisted hand and my hands splayed on the tiled bathroom wall was a scene I had already pictured. Even the words you used, the names you called me…they had all been in my daydreams. 


Now about my husband, of course I’ve been lying to him just as he does to me. He came back from his yet again, month-long business trek last night, and I could smell her right from the shirt he wore, to the inside of his luggage. You know what that means right? Yes, he went with her, and the skinny female canine, bathed in that vanilla laced perfume of hers,  left that smell all over my life. If you pay close attention, you can even smell it in his car. I was angry! I still am. 


So, do not wear any cologne when you come again, my lover. I like the smell of man. I miss the smell of man. All I smell now is a very mild vanilla. Last night, we fucked silently, my husband and I. When you come…we’d talk dirty; plenty of dirty.


I came to tell you he will leave before the weekend. So Friday night is already pulsing as it awaits us. Can we do it under the open sky this time, on the roof? I hope it rains. I have always wanted to do it in the light rain. Bring some of that wine along. I still say it tastes different outside of these walls. It tastes better. 


I promise to be here early Sunday morning. I’d sit in the back and watch you pace in that pure robe, if you promise to stay till Saturday morning. For once, my night friend, stay till morning.


I’ve thought of murder countless times. Once, you were the victim. Don’t ever stop visiting. Anything can happen if you stop. It’s not a threat, more of a subtle warning. 


Don’t stop.


I have to go now. It was nice hearing you breathe. See you on Friday. 
And oh, have I told you I love you in that hooded sweatshirt you come in? I do. I do.


Ok, bye.”

 The white-washed cathedral stood on the hill, with the sun setting behind it. She slipped out of the wooden confession box, with the rosary still in her hand, made her way down the aisle and out into the dying sunlight.

Tuesday 24 September 2013

NANTE YIE




Dip your beard in water
While that of your neighbor
Burns…they said…

Our kinsman has been
Swallowed up
In another’s fire

The dirge singers
Raise songs you penned
As if to forewarn us
Before sunrise

Fiada Fofie Ba!
Woakɔ mfikyire mpofirim dodo!

Their voices break out
Through the still sky
And call us, your children
To the town square
Dazed, 
Weary, 
Sad

We will douse our beards
In tears
Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor

We will douse our beards
In tears
As the travelers carry you home

We will sing your praises
On our candlelit march
To the river
Where
Kutsiami will meet us 

And upon your wish,
Ferry you across.

#Rest in Peace, Prof. Kofi Awoonor. 
You will be greatly missed.

Wednesday 18 September 2013

DUSK



You’d hear
My laughter
From afar
Taste
Its sweetness
In the air
Long before
You reach me
And when
You finally get here
You’d see
That
I chose joy
Although I’ve lost
All the weight
I gained
From kelewele binges
And ice cream sprees
Although my skin’s losing
Its silk
And pain leaves my forehead
Creased
You’d find me seated
Content
With joy

Come join me
As I watch
The twilight from
The rooftop
Streaks of orange,
Flaming red
Tinge of gold
Coloring my passion
In the evening sky
I sigh
Deep inside
The beauty
Of sunset
Mirroring my life
Join me celebrate
A magical end

When you turn
That corner
And head towards
Where the heavens
And I commune
You’d know
I chose strength
Although my breath
Is labored
Half the day through
And I’m too cold
To keep my voice
Steady
Although my joints
Creak
And my nights
Are void of
Good sleep
You’d find me
Huddled up
Tough
With strength

Come join me
Beat drums
Under the moonlight
And watch the giant owl
Fly mysteriously across
The star-filled sky
With its snowy feathers
Teasing
The silver clouds
And tickling
The dewy wind
Join me
Make a wish
Upon the shooting stars

When you reach me
At the horizon
You’d see me merge
With the sea

And while dying
Live fully.

Monday 16 September 2013

I MUST CRY



My 
hands 
Have been
 Bloody And 
Sparkly all at once
Precious stones stained
With Indelible blood
They came To spill
I must cry

Watch 
Me pet lions
And sip Sweet 
Wine from our vines
Cushioned in valleys.
Fresh waters and trees we 
Treat as gods - Beautiful sunrise
That hits my skin and shines it 
So bright it blinds you
I must cry

See 
Young 
women and 
Men Instilled with 
Morals they come here 
To break with their lies
And they turn around
And call us savages
I must cry

Wives 
Buy hunting guns 
And go down on their knees  
Handing them over to their husbands 
We give them power; we tell them;
“Come home with game, my love.”
And we fuss all day in waiting
Yet they say we are fools nd 
Come preaching untruths
That breaks the equality
We know
I must cry

Our 
Children
Hold our culture
Up high in their songs
In their dances in their 
Breath and baby-speech
Watch the mother tap rhythm
Into her sleeping child Watch 
Her coax him into walking
“Taa-taa” She says: Rhythm 
In our growth And they say 
We’re backward
I must cry

Our 
fathers 
Till the soil
Their sweat grow 
with our crops and
we share In communal 
Love. I take care of your itch
And you take care of mine. They 
Come and talk of individuality
And break our homes
I must cry

The 
Old warriors
Grooming men
To protect and not 
Destroy. Our old Queens
Feeding young girls hard-boiled 
eggs They must swallow whole, Yes 
Teaching them to nurture the delicate
Fiercely. Like the wild cat Transporting her 
Cubs to a safe haven by picking them with her 
Fangs yet they are not bruised - Amazing!
We are wild and gentle, brave and modest
We are Africa and they say 
It’s dark? I must cry

See 
I pushed 
Through debris 
To rise to this height
They stuffed me there
Burying me so deep I 
Wondered what they  
Were afraid of
And now I 
Know 

So 
I must cry
They must hear
What they fear
My voice
Africa’s 
voice

Monday 9 September 2013

HIS ROBE



Running
Stumbling
Falling
Crawling

Skin scratched
By thorny weeds

Battered
Tattered
Clouded
Shrouded

Tears streaming
Down a hollow laugh

Mud on feet
Soot on hands
Dirt on dirt
Growing hurt

Screams lodged
In a stuffy throat

One lonely street

One dying lass

Arm stretched out

Straining
For 
The hem

Thursday 5 September 2013

IN THE HEART OF THE SUN



In the heart 
Of the sun
My heart 
Radiates
The warmth 
That
Pierces through
The chill
And 
Heats up your
Numbing fingers

Look up 
At my frame

In the heart 
Of the sun
My smile
Exudes 
Golden rays
That yellows 
The sunflowers
And leaves
 The river 
Glistening
Like diamonds

Look down 
At my reflection

In the heart 
Of the sun
My breath
Is the light
That hits
The greens
And makes
The mountains
Glow

Feel me
All around 
You

In the heart
Of the sun

Is me 


Wednesday 4 September 2013

RED WINE





It is Joy that tiptoes in through the backdoor
 And steals its way into abandoned rooms of
 My heart and I wake up doused in smiles.



 It is love that spins out to the front and
Flaunts its wings, leaving microscopic
Particles   giggling   into   the



Darkness
Of     my
Stomach



It is Love
And joy
Mingled




In  a  glass  Of  Red  Wine.