GENTLEMAN OF PANACHE

Lost in the frenzy, had forgotten to pause for a reality check, Never imagined would be seated on hardwood, The comfort of my cushion a thing of ‘then ages’, The jewel that shone on my crown ripped off! Cold bites less…, You tear my heart into shreds when I stare into your eyes, For a shell to scorn back my sincere look of love! Thou wilt not be bound to aid mine bargains to take you home tonight, Thwart them if u may, am at your mercy. I wouldn’t take the stand and utter a single word in defence, For I be guilty to the fullest letter of my accusations. My eyes well upon the thought of letting my dove fly away, I grind my teeth with the realization that I yet have failed again, I clench my fist and bay for my own blood; punish the guilty conscious! Amour, The quality of mercy is not strain'd, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath, I humble myself to thy flawless beauty – I kneel before thy kind heart, I seek retribution for my inade...

If I were to meet my gods this day, If I were to face the cruel of gods this day; As the wick of the lamp of my life burns closer inch by inch to its end, Before my blood gets cold, I bind the grace of all gods, That I may whistle the last song in my heart, In sight of gods and men, As stars look down in witness, That the dead shall dance here tonight. May the soft hearts of men weep for me when I depart, May they sing the songs of my sacrifices; the songs of heroes. My heart shelters the story that is me, And this day, I shall paint the last portrait of my heart, For the great lands to admire. During the museum of my years, My eyes have been poisoned, I have seen the innocent suffer, My tongue has been laced, And spoken not against the dirt of men, My nails have been trimmed short, And my fingers cannot paw upon the walls and scale the heights of greatness. If the moon of my life shone no more, Let these words be the nectar of the gods and as libation I pour...

Within these confines that whisper of impregnable quest to quench the thirst of an ‘innocent monster’, Illuminated by the flickering light of years past, Resting upon the comfort of ‘wished upon destiny’, Sleepless thoughts of the ‘should have had’ dreams nudge the passion of fingers long lost in the warmth of broth that is life, And woo them they do! I know less why the birth of a new day finds my eyelids still pegged, The breeze of the ghostly dawn guard against the dreams of my pillow. Solitude be the bride I walk down the aisle, Every tick of the clock is a whack that coils itself round my haunted heart, I detest from wailing to save face from my proud self. Seeds of thoughts planted in yester days force their debut to the tiny surface of my mind-field, Yet am overwhelmed to tend to my thought-lings. Over and over, have pounded clay to mould my pot of wishes, But this new day, the clay for my pot of wishes does not smoothen to the touch of the potter. Like a thre...

Tears so painful to harvest, Whilst so heavy a burden to harbor, If only everything would be golden once more! The fiercest storms hit the hardest following sunny days, Should have read the shadows cast ahead, Were it not for the trickery of the sun that made the shadows shorter, perhaps! This script, wish had rehearsed, Then would have known when to wince and brace the punch, But then, what if, the last time the dentist assured of a strong jaw! It’s now cracked; that punch! Regardless, Will make the play because have to, And crack your ribs to your gratification. Unfamiliar soils will have to lay a bare foot for the first time, And after a massage to sensitize the limbs once more, mine sandals shan’t let you wear again! Now am selfish uh? Thoughts stroll my night away, whilst peaceful dreams pamper the night you walk! You, the GOD, accept sacrifices daily offered. Will you reciprocate in kind? In favour of oiling your back, now you can’t help straighten my collar...

Walked this earth till the soles of my feet pain from the blisters! Walked this earth till my lips are cracked with no water to wet them! Walked this earth …and still I am on course! The peak always a distance further! Have labored to fill my pockets with coin, Still nothing to show for my rough palms, Disappointments! Have shaken my head endlessly in despair, And a fashion have created! Maybe, A day more is what I need to fill my account, But to what end! Perhaps, A day more for Martin Luther King Jr would have ensured those glances are directed elsewhere, But I would be black still, wouldn’t I? Or rather, A few more soil is what The Creator should have used, That would have added me a few more pounds, But then, what would amuse you more than my lean figure, eh? Should I have worn a pair of shoes for this expedition, Then my feet would be safe. I should have gloved my hands, To save my missus a feel of tenderness and smoothness. Maybe I should consume some ...

Now what is it that am trying to do here? I wonder. I do not know. But let me go on maybe I’ll find out where I am headed along the way. You see, I found myself lying flat on my tummy reading a friend’s blog, Kiriga III is his name- actually his blog name, he got another name from a tongue I can identify with. Yes, a name from the land of Green Gold…Past that, this is not about him though he may well be part of it. Am loving the baby steps am making, though I keep tumbling over but am learning to walk straight, or so I think. This position on my tummy is a lil uncomfortable so I have to adjust to a sitting position and nurse my babe (read laptop) on my lap. Did you notice I said ‘a lil’? It is the shot form of ‘a little’. I learnt that from 50 Cent. You know his song ‘Just a Lil Bit’? Imagine back in high school, I once sang (or attempted to) the lyrics of that song and a pal of mine was like, “Yaani Tito pia wewe unayuanga hiyo song. Singeimagini!” Yeah! That should give you a...

Sweet words mine lips utter, And I mesmerize the crowds with the nectar of words flowing from my lips. Be fooled less, Within me, the music I sooth thee withal, Is the howling of a night owl frustrated by the seclusion of the night! A lonely me… But tonight, my pains shall be shared only with my heart. Beyond, Away you set forth, On a journey to a place unknown, Impossible for me to straighten my palm and wish you well, My hand heavy like the love you have shown. I close my eyes to fight the torture of staring at your back as you walk, Instead, I vision your inspirational self glowing in the dark reading to me, Your artistic words that sprung from your tongue, I shall miss. What agony thou departure inflicts to me! Touch me once more, Breathe your poetic phrases once more, That lay calm to the sandstorms of my troubled heart, Give me life I beg, And fill this void your departure leaves. How I wish that every moment shared with you came back to the wheels of ...