Dear EX…

In shadows cast by love's deceit,

I pen this verse, my heart's defeat,

A wounded soul, once bound to you,

Now torn apart, our love askew.

 

We danced amidst the moonlit skies,

 In your arms, I felt so wise,

 But time revealed a different truth,

A love unbound, unraveled, uncouth.

 

You promised vows, you vowed to stay,

Yet, in your heart, you slipped away,

 Entangled in another's snare,

Leaving me with pain to bear.

 

Our love, once vibrant, now lies still,

Like autumn leaves upon the hill,

In every whispered, sweet refrain,

I feel the sting of love's disdain.

 

But I will rise from this abyss,

 Reclaim the love I dearly miss,

 For in my heart, a strength resides,

A phoenix from these ashes, I'll rise.

 

 

 

No longer bound by your deceit,

I'll find my path, my heart's heartbeat,

And though this wound may never mend,

I'll heal and love again, my friend.

 

So go, entangled in your fate,

I'll find a path, however late.

In healing's arms, I'll learn to mend,

And love anew, my heart will tend.

 

For in the depths of loss and strife,

I'll forge a new and hopeful life.

And as I rise from love's cruel sting,

I'll find my wings and learn to sing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Solidarity

 

In a world of colors, diverse and bold,

A tapestry of stories, yet to be told,

There's a community, resilient and free,

Bound by love and solidarity.

 

Queer souls, they rise like a phoenix, so bright,

In the face of darkness, they shine their light,

Through trials and tribulations, they stand tall,

Together they rise, breaking down each wall.

 

They've weathered storms, discrimination's plight,

But with courage and grace, they continue to fight,

For acceptance and love, a world that's kind,

In unity, their strength, an unbreakable bind.

 

They celebrate love in all its forms,

 Breaking away from societal norms,

With hearts open wide, they embrace diversity,

A beautiful tapestry of humanity's ancestry.

 

In their safe spaces, they find refuge and care,

 A community that understands, always there,

 With open hearts and open minds,

 They leave no one behind, no one confined.

 

 

 

 

They're warriors of love, forging a way,

 In a world that sometimes seems gray,

Their spirit is fierce, their love is pure,

In the face of adversity, they endure.

 

So let us stand with them, hand in hand,

Supporting the Queer community, together we'll stand,

 For love knows no boundaries, no gender, no creed,

In unity and solidarity, we'll plant the seed.

 

In this tapestry of life, where colors unite,

Queer voices shine like stars in the night,

With love as their guide, they'll always find,

A world that's accepting, compassionate, and kind.

 

 Echoes of Desire

Dear sister, listen close to me,

A tale of life's complexities I'll weave,

Recall Uncle Tom's grand decree,

Post-graduation dreams he'd conceive.

 

"A call away," he sweetly sung,

A promise hanging on silver thread,

But time has passed, bells never rung,

My calls and texts, like ghosts, are dead.

 

No silver platter, no easy climb,

To be somebody, sweat's the key,

Esther, once impatient, now in her prime,

Traded fruit for dreams, wild and free.

 

Her fleet of cars, a palatial sight,

In Karen's embrace, she shines so bright,

Trips around the world, her heart's delight,

But envy's fruit, a bitter bite.

 

Our destinies diverge, it's true,

Yet nothing's free, a debt's in sight,

For lavish dreams, the price is due,

A currency of struggle, day and night.

 

Recall my first boss, holy guise,

Boundaries preached, respect he'd hail,

Till thirsty desires clouded his eyes,

Quenching from my well, his furtive trail.

 

"Cannot cum," his false decree,

He fired me, pride left untamed,

East, west, dignity's decree,

No guilt or shame, not easily maimed.

 

The world's a harsh and cruel terrain,

Turning hearts wild, breeding scams,

Jane's return, after love's sweet pain,

Deception's dance, in bae's false arms.

 

Scissors cut through truth's disguise,

Pharaoh's sons, a treacherous clan,

She chose her fellow, unveiled lies,

Love's what matters, where it began.

 

Brother Kevin seeks soft life's charm,

Ready to pay, whatever the cost,

Wamamaz allure, riches to disarm,

Friendships fade, like leaves that are lost.

 

Loaded peers, with pockets deep,

Their wealth the envy of watching eyes,

Yet diapers' price, in shadows steep,

For soft life's sake, each soul belies.

 

God gazes down, a world astray,

His creation lost in wild pursuit,

Adam and Eve, the old display,

Now western winds, his work uproot.

 

Desire for gains, and love for things,

The youth wander, lost and free,

Patience wanes, as future sings,

A world adrift, from what's to be.

 

Shortcuts paved with gilded dreams,

A debt we pay, a future's toll,

Seniors leer, as youth's gold gleams,

A cycle spins, desire takes its role.

 

Live for today, tomorrow's unknown,

They chant the mantra, heed the call,

Yet future's seeds, in hearts are sown,

Man's pursuit, in shadows falls.

 

In this realm where God observes,

Humanity's dance, a tangled song,

Strive we must, though fate unnerves,

The path we tread, both weak and strong.

 American Dream

In the land where dreams are sown,

A tapestry of hopes is known,

The American dream, a beacon bright,

Guiding stars through the darkest night.

 

But in this land of promise wide,

International students, side by side,

Carry burdens, dreams in tow,

Challenges they face and know.

 

They come from distant lands afar,

Seeking knowledge, reaching for a star,

 In pursuit of the American dream,

A path not always what it may seem.

 

Visas and paperwork, hurdles to clear,

Miles from home, loved ones dear,

A foreign land, a different tongue,

Where they strive, where they've begun.

 

Cultural clashes, a shifting ground,

Navigating customs, unfamiliar sound,

They find resilience deep within,

As the journey of learning begins.

 

 

 

 

They toil in libraries through the night,

Balancing jobs with studies, the fight,

For opportunities, they sacrifice sleep,

Their determination, a secret to keep.

 

But despite these challenges, they soar,

In the classroom, they thirst for more,

They weave dreams like threads in a loom,

Creating a tapestry that will brightly bloom.

 

For the American dream, it's not defined,

By borders or colors, it's intertwined,

With those who dare to chase the light,

In the land where dreams take flight.

 

International students, hearts so bold,

In pursuit of knowledge, stories untold,

They embody courage, strength, and grace,

In this land where dreams find their place.

 

 

 

So let us honor those who strive,

To make the American dream alive,

For international students, the path may be steep,

But in their journey, hope and dreams run deep.

 

 In Pursuit of Greener Pastures

Fortunes wait for seekers bold,

I embraced risk, my story unfolds,

Left my post, secure yet confined,

For chance to grasp the stars, enshrined.

 

In lands unknown, I aimed to soar,

Where others ventured, sought for more,

Dilapidated homes transformed anew,

Their legacy, a truth they imbue.

 

Their kin educated, across the sea,

A diaspora's tale, of unity,

Yet doubts arose, critics would chide,

"Your daughter's future!" they'd deride.

 

Orphans under my care, they'd plea,

Remarriage's specter, haunting me,

Questions swirled, like leaves in the breeze,

Yet resolute, my heart set on ease.

 

Grief heavy, kin now lost to time,

A change of scene, a healing climb,

Embassy's form, a visa's embrace,

Castles conjured in freedom's space.

 

 

 

Stateside, I tread the path unknown,

Uphill venture, seeds I've sown,

Resilience forged, skin thick as stone,

Lest streets become home, fate overthrown.

 

Taxes beckon, rent and utilities wait,

Even the air, a fee at the gate,

Curriculum demanding, focus a must,

Seconds slip by, dollars to trust.

 

Police surveil, lions on prowl,

Cross red lines, you're on trial,

Wrong lane's curse, life's currency drained,

A system precise, power ingrained.

 

Holidays, lonely for souls far away,

Deserted campuses, longing's display,

Yet we march on, despite the dearth,

American dream, the ember's birth.

 

Manicured lawns, no litter to find,

Silence reigns, no noise of any kind,

Loneliness thrives, amidst pet's care,

Simba's plight, in contrast, unfair.

 

Marriage a choice, convenience the tether,

Nation-builders bustling, elderly's weather,

Church's pews graced by aged faces,

Youth's indulgence, their own oasis.

 

 

Pipes and bottles, woven in fun's theme,

Freedom curtailed, mama's silent scream,

At eighteen's dawn, choices array,

Blacks bear burdens, whites' ease in sway.

 

Yet purposeful we stand, a beacon strong,

Double toil, we're meant to throng,

For home and hope, we stride the line,

Cradling dreams, in hearts entwined.

 

Students yearning, double-edged sword,

Work's gate locked, expectations soared,

Head in soil, tears whispered below,

Hope's whisper soothes, strength to show.

 

Journey's end, elusive and grand,

American dream, our compass hand,

Compound solitude, family's embrace,

Holiday dreams, in future's grace.

  

Harmony's Plea by Mariita Pacie.

 

Oh, Mama, where lies the flaw?

Why does time draw its claw?

To fathom the need for housekeeping,

Gaze upon fair sister Kigali,

Behold her compound, serene and clean,

Where one may dine upon the floor's gleam,

Yet, I dare not attempt such grace,

For our dwelling lacks a welcoming embrace.

 

Visitors flock to her domain,

Yearning to join hands for progeny's gain.

Our dwelling, they decry, possesses an odor,

Their trust eludes a fragile order,

For father preaches wine, yet sips water's flow,

A paradoxical stance they scornfully know.

 

Behold the wealth in nature's bountiful store,

Yet hunger consumes us to the core.

Fresh ngege from brother Oduor's hand,

Uncle Kamau's chai, sweet and grand,

Zuhura's ocean, a captivating sight,

Sister Moraa's vegetables, a fresh delight,

While brother Kiptoo's global ascent,

All watered down by ego's intent.

 

 

Father seeks to assert his place,

Whilst you, Mother, in opposition race,

At the cost of us, your tender kin,

In pursuit of justice, a might within.

 

Look at sister Zuluhu's humble abode,

Though meager earnings are all she's bestowed,

Love spills forth, resilience shines,

Even in grief, her home she binds,

Both father and mother, roles she molds,

While we left famished, dreams put on hold,

Education denied, lives at stake,

The burden of bills, our spirits break,

Businesses falter, taxes strangle,

Children in streets, famished, wrangle.

 

Father, you've let your progeny down,

Unveiled crosses upon our crown,

A jest, they believe, your every word,

Doubting sincerity when truth's heard.

Kaguta, your comrade, his children roam,

Begging for sustenance, far from home,

His wife silenced with a forceful hand,

A brutal grip, a command to withstand.

 

We seek not wealth in boundless measure,

But education and health as our treasure,

Affordable sustenance and shelter's embrace,

Equal love bestowed, no need to chase,

Then, we shan't beg or wander astray,

Ready to thrive, come what may.

 

Have you beheld JKIA's departures?

Flights bound for lands of unknown cures,

Unaware of destiny's decree,

Prepared to pay the price, be it heavenly.

 

I long to return, to breathe pure air,

A Nairobbery secure, a neighborhood fair,

Accessible education for all to acquire,

Maternal safety, no lives to expire,

Police and civilians coexisting in accord,

Actions speaking louder than words,

A home rid of blame's cruel flame,

United hearts, peace our aim.

 

Father, ere you dazzle the world's stage,

Grant Mama joy, her soul engage,

For when she's content, the home finds peace,

Tensions and strife begin to cease.

 

Lastly, heed grandpa's wise refrain,

He, the guardian of freedom's gain,

Though imperfect, his counsel true,

In listening, there lies wisdom to pursue.

See your brother, who embraced his voice,

Fruits of concord, hearts now rejoice,

Once estranged, now free to unite,

A bond restored, glowing with light,

Yet, you endeavor to efface the past,

Remember, naught's eternal, we're but fleeting cast.

 

With peace as our guide, your spirit shall grow,

Just listen, and let your benevolence flow.

 

 

@Pacie

JOURNALIST PACIE: NEVER SAY BYE

JOURNALIST PACIE: NEVER SAY BYE: I vividly remember How i became a member Not of a club but your heart So blind sense hurt Looming and cropping slowly Your arms spread ...