http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQJL6gx6_VE

I know it may be silly.......

but I thought for the longest time that my blog was really a place only I came every now and then to write something down... I don't think it really occurred to me that people are actually reading this. Mainly because I never told anyone about it. I did put a little link on my facebook, but that is it. So imagine my astonishment when people started telling me they read my blog... I started getting emails, people started calling me, someone even announced it to a crowd... so I'm thinking... I better step up my game here... and really begin to ask myself what I want this blog to really be about. What do I want the world to know about me? 

I am going to think about this and get back to you all here in a couple of days.

In the meantime, if you think of things you want to know about me, let me know.

Someone: a poem

Someone has inspired us
we who touch pen to page 
toes to stage
fingers to mic
someone along the way has shifted us to journey this art form
real
for me her name is Desdamona Rox
watched her perform a poem about a rocking chair in 2001
since then 
I have flipped lives like backs
shaped young minds like earth 
crafted sacred spaces where poets can pray
today
I received a message from a young girl I have never met telling me that my poetry on myspace saved her life
that I would never understand but she needs to thank me
says she looks up to me like goddess
and I tell her
it is only because we are a reflection of each other
like mirror we image of god divine
this word is a responsibility 
this art a reason to live another day
this air a reason to inhale a little deeper 
this breath a reason to expand this vision of our lives
this vision a reason to give thanks
this art is of earth
smells of soil prolific
these letters can only be made out by some but this axé is limitless
we are givers of life 
with each hand we stimulate to move
each voice we energize to crack
each knee we prompt to bend
each spark we spit into ash
flame ignites on passion alone
there is always enough
no need to crumble up your pages my sister your words are enough 
your experience is enough
there is no need to look outside of yourself for stories to tell
you have no idea whose life you may be saving
right
now

man who embodies the title: a poem

i think of you when i think of a man who embodies the title

you are symphony

mind body spirit in harmony

you are god

and anyone who has ever told you otherwise is god too just scarred blind

on the brink of seeing one day

but you 

know who you are and to your own self stay true

even on a bad day

a day the world wants you to forget your name 

healthy and vigorous

you still claim self whole

how many people fall victim to their own existence 

flee from responsibilities and become fugitives from their own life creations

your empty pocket book says nothing of who you are

but your skin and integrity or ancient kings says everything

each syllable of each word means something

and anyone who has told you otherwise is god too just scarred blind

on the brink of seeing one day

but you

see now

hear now

feel now

are now 

and now is all there is 

and your life now 

is a love story

entwined with mine

enriched in burnt red earth

i have watched you when no one else was looking

i have clothed you in love from afar

this ocean between us is no march for my magic

someday

i will press my silk lips against the tips of your fingers and hush all this noise 

and breathe

taking the eternal moment of now turned then again

i will repeat the ritual of prayer

perhaps you think i am exaggerating but

you are god

and anyone who has ever told you otherwise is god too just scarred blind

on the brink of seeing one day

but you

have never been loved by another 

so pure

 

Staying Focused on the Dream

How do you like the new logo?

Since I last wrote here, we have had two Slam Africa events. One was an all sisters Slam. They were both a success, and I thank everyone who has been involved in making Slam Africa what it is today. Congratulations to Wanjiku Mwaura for emerging as Slam Champion. Big thanks to Point Blank and Pepe Haze for their contributions to the community. I am setting up a separate blog for Slam Africa. As soon as it is up and running, I will post the information here.

SLAM AFRICA CELEBRATES ONE YEAR

Tomorrow Slam Africa celebrates one year of success! My partner Moses Mbasu (Spark Africa) and I have built the Slam Africa platform to nurture the spoken word movement on the African Continent. Over the past 12 months, we have been working with youth in Kenya, providing workshops and hosting a monthly Slam event at Dass Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge. The events have been consistently sold out, and have nurtured the development of a number of poets/spoken word artists, as well as increase the recognition of the movement and individual artists, respectively. All of our slam champions have graced the cover of the WAPI Times Magazine, featured on various news and television channels, and have been featured artists at various events.  

Slam Africa has served as an empowerment platform for the youth community to strengthen, sharpen, and showcase their skills as writers and performers, as well as prepare them for Slam competition on an international level. We continue to work with youth in Kenya while establishing contacts in other African countries. It is our goal to equip poets in Kenya with the information and skills needed to expand by providing workshops in other countries and areas where the spoken word art form is not currently known. The long term goal is to introduce the art form to every country on the continent, and eventually provide a Slam platform much like the National Poetry Slam in the United States. 

As a newly developed youth initiative, Slam Africa is greatly in need of sponsorship to expand. We would love to have the funding to provide workshops and events free of charge, especially in schools, slums, and community centers. We are calling out to anyone and everyone who has the connections to help us expand our vision of Slam Africa, and bring healing to the continent through the vibrant art form of spoken word poetry.

Watch this space for videos, artists, events, workshops, and other information on Slam Africa, and the development of the spoken word art form on The Continent!

Pearls.

Pearls is the name of my new album and book. It is a compilation of 18 spoken word poems. You will soon be able to download the album from i-tunes, as well as download the e-book from my website. Watch this space for more information to come. In the meantime, enjoy this video taken at WAPI (words and pictures: Africa's leading underground hip-hop platform), filmed by my very talented friend Director/Producer Katrin Ender (www.katrinender.com).