I don’t want to be buried when I die
Because I have never liked small spaces
And coffins are not that big
Because I have never liked people who stink
And when you rot you stink
Because am a little afraid of heights
And graves are kind of deep
Because I have never really liked dust and dirt
And that’s what they bury you with
Because am bound to get lonely when everyone leaves
And am left rotting in a small box in a deep hole covered in dirt
I want to be cremated when I die
Because I have never liked small spaces
And ash can spread in the world
Because I have never liked people who stink
And I figure they’ll perfume the ash
Because I am a little afraid of heights
And ash can fly
Because in ash form I can go camping
And won’t even need a tent
Because I figure ashes don’t rot and they don’t stink
They just fly in the wind and roam free
Reading poetry and swaying to good music
I want to be ash.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Simple Bird--for winnie
2007
“This is how to rule your book” you said
And then we got to talking and never stopped since
When I gave you that porn CD and you left it in your machine
When you took my Billy-boy and did heaven knows what with it
That trip to maria-poli and the sneaking out to booze
You serving me at the table coz I was too drunk to
Texting all night on borrowed phones
Cheesy pick up lines from me on your desk-daily
Keeping my hands warm and our own secret coded writing
The first kiss and never stopping
Until they almost expelled us for “practically doing it in class”
The fish pond and that little fishy for your birthday
Sitting on the roof of my cousin's flat at midday with the blaring sun
Playing with my little cousin and her toys
My birthday as your pin and you ignoring it anyway
Coz you were mad at me
2008
A different chocolate for you every day
Back seat of the bus to and from school
Our own little world…making each other jealous
Competing for grades and hijacking class arguments
Feeding me during lunch and fooling around at every corner
Making out at the staff room, head offices and janitor’s room
Stripping in the dinning hall and that crazy day at the theatre
That date at my cousin’s when I said tongue and lips…no teeth
And you cried…and we sat there hugging…silent for hours
Fish burgers at southern fried- the one they tore down
And our initials surrounded by a heart on a tree in upper hill
We had a late lunch date on the last day of school
Unlike the rest of the girls you went home…
And then that magical November afternoon
On my aunt’s couch- then we discovered our own little lake
Both of us trying to find jobs here and there
Feeling darn proud when we got em
Me laughing coz of your bridging at IAT
The few freaky stolen hours in between college and work
Black and gold thongs from enkarasha
Making pop corn that we were too busy to eat
That afternoon we spent at the archives
When you had on that horrible yellow trouser
2009
When I joined college and you were all I had
The full days spent in my empty house
Lying on the flat mattress staring at the ceiling
Covering up in towels to go chase Lee from the door
You at Rosa and Gilli proposing
Buying Yu lines so we could chat all night
Planning out the week to spend lots of time together
Opening your heart to me and me sulking like a baby
And that night when we were role playing on phone
And then the tears and drinking and smoking and hurting
And not talking to each other for the rest of the year
2010
That day we ran into each other at wasanii
And physically sending text messages
And Dexter couldn’t believe the two minutes it took
Before we were all over each other
Leaving Felix perplexed as hell when you left with me
That valentines you got me the expensive watch and
I got you an empty box—it was funnier than it sounds
Walking round town looking for a rose
Having githeri on my floor—our idea of a romantic dinner
Sleeping with the lights on and you lying on the phone.
That morning you came knocking on my window after you got robbed
Making you tea and coffee and juice…and just about any damn drink I could get
Telling you it was going to be okay
The mornings you left home to go to church
And rushed straight to my place
And was back home before 10 a.m.
My tattoo and how it infuriated you
You touched it, had half a beer and left
How we took it more maturely that time
How you never really left.
That day we were meant to be translating
And I left to go get my girlfriend
And I came back to find you in nothing but my t-shirt
How lucky I was she hadn’t come
2011
All those times you sat me through the salon sessions
You moving out on your own
Getting your hair just how I like it
Hooking up for coffee in town and ending up at my place
Waking you up super early so that you wouldn’t be late for work
That night you decided to surprise me and found 2 naked girls at my house
Grabbing my hand and having them leave so we could eat pie and juice
Laughing at me when I got a damn girlfriend-and when she apparently got cancer
Stealing you from minister’s party and not staying a minute after I came
And stealing you from the Rwandese on your way to the bar
Cold showers in the middle of the night
You stealing my spliff that morning and blacking out for hours
The monthly meetings that turned into weekly ones
That month everyone was too proud to call the other
Though you still checked up on me through your sources a.k.a Mary-ass
That bottle of vodka that you said “haileweshi”
Breakfast at the balcony with your un-ending flask
The two liter cokes and fries that you always brought over
And the late nights you came in just to keep your word
The purple-maroon shirt you always wear at mine’s
Crying to our song
The single item of jewellery you always leave behind
Now
Tonight you are leaving to experience the world
Greener pastures--I wonder what fertilizer they use…
They say apart from silence, nothing expresses the inexpressible like music
I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all that you dream of
I wish you joy and happiness
And above all this…I wish you love
Now fly away simple bird that feeds on grain and nectar…fly away!
I shall see you again…this side or the next…LML.
“This is how to rule your book” you said
And then we got to talking and never stopped since
When I gave you that porn CD and you left it in your machine
When you took my Billy-boy and did heaven knows what with it
That trip to maria-poli and the sneaking out to booze
You serving me at the table coz I was too drunk to
Texting all night on borrowed phones
Cheesy pick up lines from me on your desk-daily
Keeping my hands warm and our own secret coded writing
The first kiss and never stopping
Until they almost expelled us for “practically doing it in class”
The fish pond and that little fishy for your birthday
Sitting on the roof of my cousin's flat at midday with the blaring sun
Playing with my little cousin and her toys
My birthday as your pin and you ignoring it anyway
Coz you were mad at me
2008
A different chocolate for you every day
Back seat of the bus to and from school
Our own little world…making each other jealous
Competing for grades and hijacking class arguments
Feeding me during lunch and fooling around at every corner
Making out at the staff room, head offices and janitor’s room
Stripping in the dinning hall and that crazy day at the theatre
That date at my cousin’s when I said tongue and lips…no teeth
And you cried…and we sat there hugging…silent for hours
Fish burgers at southern fried- the one they tore down
And our initials surrounded by a heart on a tree in upper hill
We had a late lunch date on the last day of school
Unlike the rest of the girls you went home…
And then that magical November afternoon
On my aunt’s couch- then we discovered our own little lake
Both of us trying to find jobs here and there
Feeling darn proud when we got em
Me laughing coz of your bridging at IAT
The few freaky stolen hours in between college and work
Black and gold thongs from enkarasha
Making pop corn that we were too busy to eat
That afternoon we spent at the archives
When you had on that horrible yellow trouser
2009
When I joined college and you were all I had
The full days spent in my empty house
Lying on the flat mattress staring at the ceiling
Covering up in towels to go chase Lee from the door
You at Rosa and Gilli proposing
Buying Yu lines so we could chat all night
Planning out the week to spend lots of time together
Opening your heart to me and me sulking like a baby
And that night when we were role playing on phone
And then the tears and drinking and smoking and hurting
And not talking to each other for the rest of the year
2010
That day we ran into each other at wasanii
And physically sending text messages
And Dexter couldn’t believe the two minutes it took
Before we were all over each other
Leaving Felix perplexed as hell when you left with me
That valentines you got me the expensive watch and
I got you an empty box—it was funnier than it sounds
Walking round town looking for a rose
Having githeri on my floor—our idea of a romantic dinner
Sleeping with the lights on and you lying on the phone.
That morning you came knocking on my window after you got robbed
Making you tea and coffee and juice…and just about any damn drink I could get
Telling you it was going to be okay
The mornings you left home to go to church
And rushed straight to my place
And was back home before 10 a.m.
My tattoo and how it infuriated you
You touched it, had half a beer and left
How we took it more maturely that time
How you never really left.
That day we were meant to be translating
And I left to go get my girlfriend
And I came back to find you in nothing but my t-shirt
How lucky I was she hadn’t come
2011
All those times you sat me through the salon sessions
You moving out on your own
Getting your hair just how I like it
Hooking up for coffee in town and ending up at my place
Waking you up super early so that you wouldn’t be late for work
That night you decided to surprise me and found 2 naked girls at my house
Grabbing my hand and having them leave so we could eat pie and juice
Laughing at me when I got a damn girlfriend-and when she apparently got cancer
Stealing you from minister’s party and not staying a minute after I came
And stealing you from the Rwandese on your way to the bar
Cold showers in the middle of the night
You stealing my spliff that morning and blacking out for hours
The monthly meetings that turned into weekly ones
That month everyone was too proud to call the other
Though you still checked up on me through your sources a.k.a Mary-ass
That bottle of vodka that you said “haileweshi”
Breakfast at the balcony with your un-ending flask
The two liter cokes and fries that you always brought over
And the late nights you came in just to keep your word
The purple-maroon shirt you always wear at mine’s
Crying to our song
The single item of jewellery you always leave behind
Now
Tonight you are leaving to experience the world
Greener pastures--I wonder what fertilizer they use…
They say apart from silence, nothing expresses the inexpressible like music
I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all that you dream of
I wish you joy and happiness
And above all this…I wish you love
Now fly away simple bird that feeds on grain and nectar…fly away!
I shall see you again…this side or the next…LML.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)