A Good Day To Try Again

today won't be your day, again, 

if you do not try harder 

there is nothing to gain 

if you are not relentless in the 

pursuit of your passions 

today does seem grim 

a ray of despondency is creeping in 

and, like a sadist's scheme 

threatens to haul your dreams

into the waste basket of oblivion 

today is a good day to try again 

you may be a little bit lethargic, 

but take that step, walk even with pain 

for they say it is important to keep moving 

that single step will take you closer 

to your much coveted dream 

Your Kind of Love

you aren't the kind that loves 

half-heartedly, 

you take the plunge, 

- headfirst, feetfirst, heartfirst - 

it never matters 

because loving is about life and death 

and the right love justifies 

anything in between 

but then your kind of love, 

often pits you against mongrel-humans, 

the kind that never learned to love 

or deliberately choose to love incorrectly, 

at will, ignorant of its significance 

you will love them still, 

hoping your affection will change them 

have you ever stopped and pondered, 

may be you deserve the love 

you give everyone else? 

especially the underserving 

the kind that wouldn't jump a puddle 

for you 

when you could cross oceans for them 

Calmness

I do not know what causes more turmoil, 

or unending grief, 

than the thought of unrequited love 

there is no relief 

because each moment seems to unravel, 

so many reasons not to love 

But tell me, what's more calming, 

than the certainty of love, 

each day feels new 

because someone loves you, 

and you are sure its the purest 

calmness is the perfect give a lover can give 

The B-word

I received a warning today from Zuckerberg's soldiers. I posted a single-word comment on a certain page I came across while 'sightseeing' on these streets. The word in itself did not strike me as particularly 'too strong.' Zuckerberg's made-men stated the repercussions of my actions, which, inter alia, included an 'eviction threat' from these streets.

I do not know how effective that would have been had it been my mission to go about slandering people. I would have simply created a new account and be back like nothing happened.

Although I accepted that I had made a mistake, I wondered deep down why the word was unacceptable. In my estimation, the word described perfectly the what was happening in the video.

The people (to be gender neutral) were not exactly bright upstairs. It is very okay (it is even a constitutional right) not to be bright. But it is very unconstitutional not to know you are not bright.

I know you may have seen a video of a certain Woriah who does not shit and quite okay with it. I must admit it made me a bit uncomfortable knowing that there are people who do not know shit and they have the right to vote just like learned fellows like some of us.

It is a bit disconcerting for me since my intellect, or lack thereof, was acquired mainly through corporal punishment. My teacher had a name for it - he called it flogging. I got whooped in a way that took something from me.

I have contemplated suing that teacher for causing PTSD. But then I can't imagine the line of questioning his lawyer will pursue - it will make me look stupid, negating the essence of the suit.

Back to the 'word.'

According to my estimation, I did not think it would a deeper meaning other than it being a perfect word to describe those who are not that bright.

But I assumed. The lawyer from Canada once used it to describe one of your female leaders of Kanairo. The lawyer is known for using the word demagogue, which made Larry Madowo imagine it was the worst insult in the history of mankind. It wasn't.

The trouble with not knowing the meaning of something makes it even more insulting. Your mind goes on overdrive imagining the worst possible meaning of the word that someone has used in reference to you, you who hold yourself in high regard.

I consulted google and find out the word was offensive. It ranked close to the N-word. As you are familiar with the rules that govern the use of the N-word, you have to be an N for you to use it.

I used a B-word and I am not a B . The B-word is not the one use to refer to dogs of fairer sex. It ends with a vowel and you cannot use it to describe an attractive lady who was denied a substantial amount of grey matter between their ears.

Have an offensive-free Saturday. Except Arsenal fans. You will not know what hit you.

#theropwrites

Naked Truth

truth hits like a ton of falling bricks, 

often, you'll find yourself debating, 

whether to be hurt enough or limp away, 

wearing your injuries like a war hero 

truth leaves you feeling powerless, 

bargaining with a fate you're sure 

you did not deserve 

you didn't sacrifice so much for naught 

truth will make you feel stupid 

and as blunt as it often is, 

there is always nothing to do 

except create your balance sheet 

of losses, profits and lessons 

The Fall of Arsenal

I conjured up this idea a long time ago. The prevailing circumstances would make me appear like a bitter and grumpy human being with a grudge against the world. To be honest, I am bitter and grumpy that this idea might not be relevant today. And I blame it squarely on Arsenal because the idea is about Arsenal – the old Arsenal that served heartbreaks to Arsenal fans every weekend. Arsenal still serves heartbreaks, but it serves the wrong people. 

I must admit that a significant portion of my short-lived happiness comes from the misery of Arsenal fans. I have no doubt that the feeling is mutual among Arsenal fans. Although happiness was always short-lived, it was always worth it because it served one single purpose – Man Utd is the greatest team on earth and all planets that might support life. I speak for many a football fan when I say that the greatest and the happiest moment is seeing your rivals suffering defeat after defeat. It had been like that until a man from Spain decided to upset the natural order of things. 

The banter no longer sends Arsenal fans whimpering with tails between their legs like stray dogs. They are at the top of the table for God’s sake. And we are seeing their true colors. They are printing the EPL table and posting them side by side with posters of those waganga kutoka Kitui. Because some of us still have a few brain cells that have not been tampered with by substances, we patiently wait for the day they will be humbled.

It hurt my ego, a long time ago, when I chanced upon a kid clad in full Arsenal regalia. The kid was not even old enough to use the toilet without the help of an adult. According to my estimation, the kid’s parents were committing a punishable crime. I would have called the Kenyan equivalent of Child Protection Services. But I didn’t solely because I did not feed that kid, and neither did I help it use the toilet. 

In hindsight, I should have called the authorities. We do not need another Arsenal fan. The ones we have are already too much for us, especially this season. In fact, I wonder why scientists are yet to discover a device that predicts with 99.9% accuracy which club newborn babies will end up supporting. Those whose results will show that there is a negligible percentage that they will be Arsenal fans will straight away be condemned to be laborers. 

If you have gotten this far, I would like to let you know that I have nothing against Arsenal fans. However, I am pretty sure Arsenal fans have similar thoughts, perhaps even worse. Well, once we are done with petty distractions called football, we all become human again as we try not to starve, have a place to put our heads, and have a few coins left to finance our worldly obsessions. I am no better, except I believe I support a far superior team. Which is true as far as this article is concerned. 

I firmly believe that nobody should be coerced to support any team whatsoever. I can’t explain how I became a Man Utd fan. I can’t pinpoint the exact time or place where I made a pact with the gods of football to become overly excited by Man Utd’s wins and become really depressed when it loses. By God, it’s a team thousand of miles away, and how it exerts such unexplainable influence over people. It’s beyond me. It probably has something to do with drugs. 

As a young man who still thought the world catered to everyone’s whims, I had nothing better to do with my life except wait for the weekend to troop to watch Man Utd. I would make a solitary trip to Flax, the nearest shopping center, and feast my eyes on the magic Fergie had cooked that weekend. But when the old Scott called it quits, we realized how painful losing consistently is. We’ve barely won anything notable recently. And the fact that Arsenal might just win the league is unfathomable. 

But tonight, the elephant will tumble down the tree. I am looking forward to it more than anything else because peace, world hunger, and climate change depend on it. 

May the Pep win. 

She Left Before You Met

she left you even before she met you

all the while you rehearsed your heartbreak

many nights you tinkered with scenarios 

cringing, wondering what she would want, 

even when you'd given her everything, 

your heart spoke a language of inadequacy, 

somehow she'd need more than your enough, 

she'd deplete you, leaving you tattered 

indiscernible voices told you 

you wouldn't ever fulfill her 

it wasn't her fault when she stepped 

into a house that seemed empty, 

unwelcoming, - a house to pushed her away 

one day she walked away

leaving you with a broken heart, 

living your own prophesy