Aspirations – Poetic on the Storymoja Blog

Poetic: adjective /pəʊˈet.ɪk/ /poʊˈet ̬-/ (ALSO poetical)

Definition: like or relating to poetry or poets; Descriptive: very beautiful or expressing emotion

The story is written in richly poetic language.

Aspiration: noun /ˌæs.pɪˈreɪ.ʃən//-pɚˈeɪ-/

Definition: something that you hope to achieve

Kingwa Kamencu has political aspirations.

I’ve always loved words, loved to write, spin words on their axis and see where they orbit, and then watch in wonder. Don’t get me wrong, I do not consider myself a poet. But I do have poetic aspirations.

I aspire to use words to tell stories, my stories, the story of humanity, of life and hope, and joy, and on the farthest swing of the pendulum; the end of the cycle of life, despair, hurt, sadness, and in between everything else that makes us who we are.

I like to use words, lots of them, usually they don’t rhyme, but they might have some rhythm, some alliteration, some shape and order to them. I admire, no, I envy those who can hang emotions and thoughts on a word or two. I admire the people who have the power to tell the story with a breath, a sigh, an exclamation mark…

This, this here is their space. The new Storymoja Writers’ Blog schedule features a once-a-month online event; every 2^nd Monday of the month – Poetic Aspirations. We described the event in the calendar:

Poetry to describe hopes, dreams, ambitions, emotions, thoughts, questions, culture, life…. The widest aspirations spurn on either free verse or a poetic genre announced the previous month.

To start us off we begin, very fittingly with a poem that offers hope and inspiration:

The Poets by Michael Macharia

From the depth of inspiration

We exude perspiration

Inscribe messages that last

To give humanity hope.

From the dark unseen wells

The flood of words swells

Coated in images that please

Seeking for a release;

We wake in the middle of night

Our visions to inscribe

Express concern for the plight

Of the suffering in our sight;

We are mediums of the message

Using it to build career

The expression of our tears

Our secret longing and fears;

We do not own the words

We do not create the events

We dare to reflect

Through this endless pain;

Sacrifice is the poets’ plight

For the downtrodden to fight

Struggling for bare survival

Hoping to announce arrival.

© Michael M. Macharia 2011

The second poem tells of aspirations alright, but not the kind you might imagine when you think of the word at first.

Reflection by Sanya Noel

I want to be like you

A liar, a thief

I want to be you

Greedy and lustful

In fact, more than you

Treacherous and hateful

Cunning and conniving

Indecent and sarcastic

I want to be like you

Racist and sexist

Divisionist and tribalist

I want to be a thug

I want to preach hate like you do

I want to kill love and always be rough

I want the KKK resurrected and baptized Kenyan

Let impunity reign

Let corruption grow

Let us water them to maturity with ignorance

Then watch it bear its fruits, poverty

I dream like you, I see like you

I want to steal and never be caught

Then cover my tracks under that hood of faith

©Sanya Noel 2011

Think on it, I sure will. And then join us next month as we aspire on poetic dew. Next Month:

Poetic Theme: Earth’s Nature

Poetic Style: Haiku

Email to send in to: blogs@storymojaafrica.co.ke

Date to send in by: 4^th November 2011 by 4pm.

Next Week the feature on the Storymoja Blog will be short fiction – of the romantic kind. We are East African, and we do love, our way. So just send in your piece, not less than 1200 words and not more than 1800 words. Show us – How do we love? Send in by this Friday 14^th October 2011 at 4pm.

Until then, here’s to your aspirations!