By Rhoda Ronkoe In quiet corners where shadows dwell,Thoughts linger softly, like a muted bell.Silence lies heavy, dense as night,Each word unspoken, a fading light. A heart aches beneath its careful skin,Yearning to share what’s locked within.Hope and fear waltz, shy and slow,In the hush between us, where secrets grow. Promises glisten like dew on […]

By Chipanga Daniel Homes of the less.Dustbins suffocated in litter,popularising mosquito lounges.Insecurity takes cover,fear rents the sphere. Water bills trigger chaos,electricity seals the conflict.Tenants mumble for their rights,caretakers deaf to their cries. Hatred takes no sides.Sanitation succumbs to illness.Rent becomes a tug-of-war. Extra padlocks befriend the doors.Hammersmith comes knocking—doors swing open in defeat.Warning notes grin […]

-By Shem Onderi You bear the smell of my feet.How my whole foot fits inside you—it’s amazing, unimaginable.See, my toes are huge, unruly,each one pointing its own way. You carry my weight,take the blows of stonesso I remain safe.At times, I polish you with hard-bristled care,but the village mud always gets the last laugh. To […]

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” -Author unknown

By Shem Onderi Arrive, baby, in your mother’s womb, that she may be respected,and your father valued among his peers. Your grandmother awaits your arrival,eager to welcome you to the world. Grow, baby, and take shape, that your mother may visit the prenatal clinic, just like the others,and prepare for your birth. The village is […]

By Shem Onderi Oh, eye, you were created to see, To behold all that’s visible in day and night’s decree. But when darkness falls, you struggle to perceive, Leaving the nocturnals to navigate with ease. You see all, even when you’re not meant to, A constant observer, never at rest. You examine and scrutinize, then […]

By Shem Onderi In the day, you hide from sight,Visitors arrive, and you take flight.I’ve tried to clear you out, but you won’t depart,You squeeze into small spaces, a clever art. At night, you emerge, in numbers so grand,Feasting on leftovers, in this culinary land.You rest by day, digesting with glee,Converting food to energy, a […]

By Shem Onderi Oh, Dispensary Bench, if you were human,So wide, so strong, your presence is proven.Built for comfort, you await with grace,As patients sit, in this quiet space. Placed by the wall, near the block,Not far from the doctor or the pharmacist’s walk,You rest in the hallway, often alone,Unnoticed at dusk, when the day’s […]

By Shem Onderi You once meandered past Kisii town, Loud and proud, you’d flow on down, Joining streams that swirled and spun, A mighty river, second to none. Past Kisii town, your splashes loud, Echoing through the bustling crowd, Those who crossed you, felt the spray, And feared to drown in your vast sway. Upstream, […]

Mole, Diversity– By Shem Onderi You live beneath our feet, a secret life unseen, Yet your destruction is loud, a tale of ravaged dreams. Little is known of your ways, no social moments shared, No rest days recorded, just an endless, underground lair. Your body is tender, fragile to the touch, But your teeth, sharp […]