words & soul 2008

WORDS & SOUL ©2008 POETRY COLLECTION BY

DANIEL D’UWA

Editor’s Choice 2007 Poetry.com

I STRIVE DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

I’ve taken punches Fallen out of grace Raced off the track

The draft showing me the shoulders,

Couple of times Dragged in the rug

No drug offered me a fix,

My feet gave in Flattering in no lull Took it lying down, head down

Like this town was run by a man Anyone else but me Or my minders,

Took to my heels To flee this dis-lounge

Hail the strungle, lost the battle Yet even in my rat-hole

I strive, I strive…I strive period.

Editor’s Choice 2007 Poetry.com

Copyright Daniel D’uwa © 2008 Words & Soul Poetry Collection

www.danielduwa.blogspot.com

daniel duwa

Poetry from Words & Soul Collection © 2008 by Daniel D’uwa

Words & Soul Poetry Collection © 2008 mark a new dawn for the poet whose is marking over a decade & a half in poetry. CLIMBED THESE

MOUNTAINS DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

I have climbed mountains I have been to hills Taken to the valleys Laid on those plain Then the alleys laid me Nailing me to the plan Not knowing how Where and when I got there Once there I drunk from the palm Drowned in the lamp Taken by the tribe A boy to a man A man clouded in by the light The right not to But has to climb this forsaken plain Rocking and rocking and rocking

Copyright Daniel D’uwa © 2008 Words & Soul Poetry Collection www.danielduwa.blogspot.com

From an early age, Daniel D’uwa took a solitude life staying away from the social norm, rarely seen out in the soccer pitch. Being Kenyan, growing up in the 80s and 90s, the social norm was to get on mud-stricken, must ridden or sun striking, grass staved football pitch and kick a bag improvised ball. The unhealthy sorry state of solute, seem to have paid off in his poetry, prose and other literal material now published in a wide range of periodicals, magazines, newspapers and his first attempt at publishing. His first Anthology of sorts, published in the year 2000 with a limited release in the Western market was a half decent effort. Much might be said for the effort, but since this is neither the forum or has D’uwa or his publisher commission in cash or kind, that is all I will say on that matter. The advance copy of Words & Souls shows a remarkable insight in to the life, times and people tales told from the poet’s eye. The, as the poet seems to go back to what made me enjoy his work. Nicole Leigh Denise Poetry Editor

daniel duwa

MOTHER SMILE

DANIEL D’UWA •

WORDS &

SOUL - KENYA

Mother Smile at me Smile like you used to Back then The awkwardness of

my birth When the stupidity of my young The would be-ness of my fruitfulness And the polio shot I so hated

Showed potential Then you smiled, Mother Smile at me For remember mother Then & always have been The yardstick here, there In the sights of friends and f

oe Near of afar H

ere in you they seek counsel, solace or calm

Then you smiled, Mother Smile at me Smile again thought you faltered a little A little too much

Maybe if you smiled Just a little, a little more

Us kids might show potential once more Mother Kenya, please smile.

D’uwa Thursday, January 10, 2008 23

29H

Copyright Daniel D’uwa © 2008

Words & Soul Poetry Collection


YOU CHOSE ME Mercy Kungu 1992

DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

The greatest invention if ever Would be one, which would tell Between an egg and a chicken Which come first? You choice me In the midst of my innocence A naive boy I was Too shy to tell too caring to try I only now blush ever when I think Such beauty came my way You choice me, Ever through days It seems un-reconcilable To know that my reward went to waste Never did I claim the bounty Yet you choice me, On this rat-chase Through the climbs up and down To steer way to your claim The world had its eyes wide on you Every soul eyed your un-dilated beauty Stripping men of honor with disgrace At lengths to fulfill your hearts desires Their women raged with evil envy With the settling of the dust You inner self seek-ed different On a boy a bit in-different Yet you choice me, Like fire you turned the flames on My immaturity took the seat behind Gaining courage to secretly grant your friend A place to claim Once that time now so long gone to ouster new gains You choice me, These days I’m by my-self Playing a recollection of what was Never again to occur Sweet love games that were my school days Now as I gradually gray I yawn for those days Even with diminishing vision Maybe a realization that as the years gather And the dust settle Those days are and will only be An occasional reminder Of moments deeply valued once bliss-less Should never be re-kindled . ~Daniel D’uwa~ Copyright Daniel D’uwa © 2008 Dialing Yesterday - Words & Soul Poetry Collection


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BEFORE MY MEALS DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Before my meals I will say a prayer Thank my Lord Almighty The One most high and divine For providing the item so set before me For a feast worthy of a king Despite my the quantity or quality Of what is provided Despite my mere-being I’m not worthy To divine with the king of kings Yet he responds every time I invite, He is faithful I’ve never wanted, not even in desperation of the moment For I know well he will provide I will pre-occupy myself With that which is his will, I thank Him for the free life For getting slain for my indisecousious For giving Him own and begotten son To redeem me off’ of my sins and sinful ways For providing me with a Holly spirit and a church A blood family, friends and relations For me and all mankind Derived from all sex, race and creed, I thank Him For the past, for the present and for the future That some day I will share in the Holly Kingdom Sitting on the right arm Of our Father one who was. Is and ever remain Most High In a world without end forever and ever So now I will pray before my meals. September 8th 2000


daniel duwa

KENYA REIN DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

We voted en mass December 27th 2007 Snaking paths, pavements and curves And the country went up in flames Our blood drained Our life up in flames Then January 5th 2008 it rained The rain drained away the flames Our hearts, minds, body and soul still scarred Bleeding begging for answer Why, how, when, where, how, whom…? But is rained The pain is still but calm is yet to show But it rained Let it rain Rain drops to wash off this pain Ours the Kenyan nation (you and I ) restored Kenya rein. D’uwa January 5th, 2008 1616H


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WORDS DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Kenya is a pretty girl Like divas the world over She says little in words But only words, promising this, that and the other Wins her over, But words are just but words For many words later She is yet to be better In three days not even a week Words shied The pretty girl showed The other side of ugly Two giants and silence The devil ruptured Words flew off Words were all needed to break the eruption Words went cold, never showing The devil reined in silence , The flame are cooling The suit strongly fresh Storm rules in silence Break this mould Speak openly, speak widely, speak loudly Speak to be heard, then listen And resolve Restore the pretty girl Restore her by words not war. D’uwa January 7, 2008 2350H


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UNBELIEVERS PRAY TOO DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

After two and a half decades I went to church today I am not a religious man I know God I try the best I can to walk the talk But I went to church To talk to God My world had change Only like the foreign lands I had sailed Where hell ruled and law was as foreign Desperate time seeks desperate measures So I went to church today The Latin scented service Sounded strangely familiar In uncertainty of the moment I saw the big man with his bodyguard taking the front row Like nothing had changed I struggle with my faith Like I struggled to understand Why my nation was on fire So I turned to seek from God The fuel for the fire engines To put this flare-up off Dear God un-flare this This I pray. D’uwa Sunday January 6, 2008 1240H


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LOVE RAIN NOW DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Why is heaven so distant? The rain's took to the heel Where is my healing Where is my healing Where is my healing Where is my healing Strange as I am I am I am I am Can I be in your arms Can it be heaven again It raining here Raining there where you are Raining all over again Bless me love I being the love You the love Yes both you& I I being you, you being me Both being one being One being different Common in our love Our love for each other! D’uwa


daniel duwa

Jana – means yesterday in Swahili. In here I chronically the path that lead me here in not very certain terms. The road traveled, the path never turned, or those simply overlooked!

Daniel D’uwa

JANA NOW I WALK DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Now I walk Now I walk through the alleys Seeking allies In this pity hole that is life Every one saying I should find me a wife Wifey thinking I should find me a job Jobs are hard to come by Making way to a dissolute man No friends, no calls not even missed call I see babies and babies mamas Its clear that money is relationships One with the other not alone Even walking on this public pavement costs money There isn’t a loose coin on the ground Not a smiling face If you don’t own this streets You can’t be broke Take it elsewhere We don’t serve that here! Now I walk, broke, broken no token. D’uwa Wednesday, September 19, 2007 12:41:39


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PIECES OF A BROKEN ME DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Pieces of a broken me I thought I saw it all Tried mostly Knew it almost Now I just lie there Wondering, puzzled As if all this is totally new Like a virgin girl Being penetrated the first time I feel the anticipation Anxiety, fear and worry that it might hurt Like a virgin boy I fear that I might not conquer I might not peer through I may fail to impress Miss her respect Killing her expectations But like both of them I will push on Who knows I might just get lucky And penetrate Impress even. Pieces Of A Broken Me Done Sobbing, D’uwa August 12h 2005 1347H.


daniel duwa

I RISE DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA


daniel duwa

LOOKING FOR A GIRL DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

To put it in a nutshell I am this old Youth is slowly evading me Maturing single and looking for A girl but not any girl A girl just like you’ ` Well looking for a girl The kind that makes in me a friend That talks to me like my buddy Walks in the rain And is not afraid to try Even cries in my shoulders One who is sorry for real Cause she not the only one who ain’t perfect’ If I’d be looking for a girl In the yellow pages I would like one who has little or no strings attached One who would be happy without being or enslaving One who’s not a wife But a lover… If I was to look for a girl! Wrote in 1991 at a tender age of 15!


daniel duwa

ACID & WATER DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Acid & Water Two daughters Paternally same, maternally separated One smokes, the other forms my smoke In this ever fluid puzzle that is my life I need to restrain but bares no training, Acid You consume me like fire Rage through a dry bush You swallow my bones whole Take me in willingly For I loose control And totally submit to you Oh acid, oh acid, what I do I do? Water You quenched me Took me from my entrenchment Made me whole again from a fallen child You gave me a whole new role You believe when I was lucking in power Desperate to will, too thrown to be When non else was willing to lean My way you stroke me lucky And never asked me to be Now water, water I believe, August 12 2005 Sunday 1245H Copyright Daniel D’uwa © 2008 Words & Soul Poetry Collection www.danielduwa.blogspot.com

Acid rain DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Love or hate True or lies Light or darkness Creative or brain dead D’uwa


daniel duwa

YOUR

DEEPNESS DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

My ermines My desire throbs Like a robe flow down that throne Robbing the sleuth that is my strength As my length get exposed I dread the moment Should I came too soon or not come at all Will I impress or express my solemn deepness? Or will I stress leaving only stress? Shall it feel like shallow well Or will it be too deep to scratch? Lay rested letting me stretch Before I launch plunge in With the vigor of a river rushing down stream Don't feel arrested please attest to this I need to reach deep down you spine Get you drunk like wine Plays rhymes in your head Lighting up you depths Let me be the one To reach your depths. August 12 2005 Sunday 0105H


daniel duwa

Climbed Theses Mountains & Being Me both taken from Words & Soul Poetry Collections, is also featured in The Quarterly Colour SerieS of Poetry

© Fifth edition out November 2007. Brown Steps is the fifth edition of the Quarterly Colour Series that

is published every three months by Al Kags. The first four editions were Gray Spots, Blue Smudges, Red Streaks and Green Piece. All of these eBooks can be downloaded from The Al Kags Trust Web site, http://www.alkags.org/. Brown Steps is about social issues – the issues that drive our lives - from politics (in general), issues like corruption and all, the idiosyncrasies of life, the gap between rich and poor and all those issues around which our lives revolve. As many countries, including Kenya, USA, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Morocco, and others go through their electioneering process in 2007 and 2008.




daniel duwa

ME BEING

DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

I shell off my skin A new being to be Seek not in my olden ways From this date Time seals a convert From the walls of a convict Emerges a convert Leaving my former convictions on the rear To pursue a life devoid of Enlaced in. Copyright Daniel D’uwa © 2008 Words & Soul Poetry Collection www.danielduwa.blogspot.com

Lovely poetry.

With your permission, we could place you up on one of our feature pages. Have a wonderful day tomorrow and thanks.

VicToria Freudiger Founder and Editorial Director - Enrtyway Marketing -Online @ Poetryhighway

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HELLO IT’S ME AGAIN DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Hello Its Me Again Hello’ Daniel Duwa Hi there I know I wasn’t meant to call Just wanted to hear your voice, hope you are okay I’m not yet gotten used to that It’s gonna take me a while Even though we are moving on I respect that No I don’t mean that I know it hurts I’m not trying to get back together I don’t mean to fight Okay I understand Hello, hello, hello are you there? Hello It’s Me Again Done Sobbing, D’uwa. August 12h 2005 1354H


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WALK

AWAY DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

Walk Away If you see me walking away Don’t frown feel flattered A beautiful yet brief affair That would interfere with all And everything that is our life; Then we’d then walk away from this Only to face each single day Hoping, praying That the subject never arises This little secret-maybe not so little Would shutter what, who and where We are, where we live, how we believe Making us loose our home Our places to nomad around Mortified of the past Apprehensive of the future. Walk Away Done Sobbing, duwa August 8th 2005 1311H


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FLORA

FAUNA DANIEL D’UWA • WORDS & SOUL - KENYA

You One in the mist of my many flowers A vase constantly changing face Cuddling new-found breed Every and ever so often, But amid all the strain Brought forth by the ever changing flora It got to be only your flavorful petals That I so thoughtfully prune, plunk and often luck, With a little lack and work I will for al days on earth Stand by my vase, Tending you My lovely Flower. Flora!


daniel duwa

words & soul 2008

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