Ruminating Out Loud

How come I am blessed

one who stumbled at the confluence

of preparation and luck

paving the way to success.

How come a boy goes hungry

across the ocean and behind the alleyways

and a girl mourns of a family destroyed

standing on shattered limbs

in a village raided, burned to ground

by the cruelty of humanity

aided and comforted

by the willful ignorance of many.

How come I am blessed

a sinner like any, born to a biological miracle

sudden and unique, ubiquitous at once

how can I pretend I am chosen

for a lucky destiny special

and ignore all the choiceless

women, men, boy and girl

caged in eternal prison of hopelessness.

How come I am blessed?

.

Will you remember the time we spent

together in happiness or the nagging angst

of relationship building painful and long.

Will you remember the sight of joy

of my relief in seeing you finally missing

your loving care of compassion

or my discomfort in feeling alone and helpless

in my inability to be together in emotion.

Will you remember the happiness shared

in triumphs unlikely overcome with bravery

or the cowardice in the fear of the unknown bend

coming around the corner hidden in a blind spot

leaving us shaken in a future uncertain.

Which will you care to remember

the happiness and joy or the restless quarrels

which brought us closer unveiling the true self

hiding behind the mask of completeness and fulfillment

glorified in pretentiousness hiding the dying being underneath.

We have been stranded into a helix of a DNA

at once a duet and binary in unison eternity

I pray you celebrate the moments of uplift

along with the desperation of moments empty

vacuum of words yet populated in thought

of the togetherness we have formed

at the highland and low, the home we’ve built.

.

An epidemic of hope

avails itself to escape

to the dreamer locked

in a confined cage of no end

invading the emptiness

left behind in the abyss

from a struggle of pain and sorrow

brought to an end in a breakthrough

brightening the future and day

as a sunny night spring sky.

Oh! alive and elated

feels the heart hope filled

ready for a renewed life journey

sailing by the wind of dream and joy.
.

America, the promise land of people varied

to her shores flock, teleported identities

in pursuit of freedom fleeing misery

immigrating with hope and unbridled dreams.

Escaping from tyrants human and natural

destitute, depravity, and lack of dignity

away from a life endured, staring down evil

yearning for her promise of inalienable rights

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

She is made for and by a people freed

with uprooted identities forging new lives

charting and living a liberated destiny

she is the land of promise, aspiration aplenty

a promise for all, a promised land for the free.

.

I see a land green

prosperous and lush

a brighter future ahead

open, free, and fresh.

Out on the horizon

I say to you my friend

the pastures are green

on this and other side

come along I say

for one joyful ride.

.

Keep at it, my friend

for sooner than later

something will materialize

out of the red sky

a destiny blue.

So, hang in there my friend

for this too shall pass.

I can see it coming

the moment of relief

a progress forward

a time of recognition

you shall be rewarded

for your efforts handsomely.

The moment is near

for you to be liberated

from anxiety and fear

of an uncertain future.

Your destiny is mine

we are linked in prayer

separable by none

irrespective of the present

which may be hopelessly bare

my prayer is one

that you do not despair

so stay strong, my friend

for this too shall pass

in a future near.

.

In glory of the mind

they say it is

a super-power of an organ

complex and massive

with dominion over matter

and all things physical

conquering all if only

there is the will.

Deep in thought

a conversation I heard

relentless and vigorous

between the body and mind.

I am the master

and you are the slave

says the mind

rested you have

now it is time to work.

Irritated and restless

responds the body

there comes a point

when you lose

the power over I

no matter the urgency

to catch a shooting star

no matter your will

I am unwilling and

will render you alone

aimlessly trekking the thought-land.

I see, says the mind

I see that you may be

needing a respite and wastefully tired

drained of energy, fallen under the rock

that serves no one

now get up and work.

Well, says the body

well let’s see your magic

I see you getting

helpless and frantic

unable to control a fiber of my being.

So continued the debate

between the mind and body

unresolved and beastly left

to the sleep which suddenly

swept through me

leaving the body laid

and the mind on bended knee

giving in the end

to the powers to be

relocated in thought

in a motion slow

uprooted from reality

am I dreaming now?

.

He stood

beaming hope

on a day icy cold

preaching truth.

He stood

with a nation

tall and proud

born again

vivacious and free

basking in memories golden.

He stood

with echoes of past

on shifting sand

a union

built on blood

of distant shores

in suffering shed.

He stood

with a people brave

seekers of liberty

free and gallant

in pursuit of happy.

He stood

with humanity

of corners of the world

yearning liberation

freedom and food.

He stood

the 44th president

confident and bold

in a future bright.

.

In the sense of time I die

I die cell by cell

and piece by piece

destined for a life mortal

in war and peace.

Yet I breath

knowledge I absorb

expressions of self

in spite of death.

In the sense of time we die

yet dreams of a preacher

live on to see

a destiny fulfilled

a changed generation

and a nation perfected.

The hope distilled

of pain and despair

seeing no end

lives on to inspire

elevating a son

of a mother single

a bearer of light

a hope-vessel half-full.

In the sense of time we die

dreams live

but you and I.

.

In her presence I delight

in her absence I shiver

missing the glow

of her warming care.

Her love,

a thirst unquenchable

undying hunger

a sibling never had

a companion in sorrow

a believer in truth

a guiding arrow.

Without her,

a life aimless

floating above

a lifeless canvas

restless in thought

flying aground

soulless in spirit

frozen and bound.

Her love,

eternal and enlivening

a kindred life

worth living

music to the soul

complete in her

union alive

that is why I love her.

.

There is a lot to be learned

at times I get so overwhelmed

by the almost nothing I know

about dark and snow

life and the globe

woven into a web

it makes me feel inconsequential

insignificant and peripheral.

Then came along the Internet

the great equalizer to the rescue

an outlet of expression

pent up and long overdue.

Liberated the mind and imagination

forever freed and seeking

birthing new life

and life to meaning.

.

Before the magic happens

and the sense of elation descends

a calming breath blows

the winds of uncertainty

a moment of doubt and incredulity

disbelief, devoid of equanimity.

Then, suddenly, the magic happens

clearing the fogs of ignorance

endowing the gratification of patience

the orgasmic explosion of euphoria

sets in the knowledge of knowing

a mind is liberated

a soul revived

a person re-born, from strongholds of illiteracy

That is when the magic happens

with rapture and joy conceived of brain sex.

.

It is not the food Africa is starved of, for there is plenty waiting to be equitably distributed. It is not water Africa is thirsting of, for rivers flood all across the land. It is not for the lack of means of any kind – earth-bound or alive. There is only one cancer that is the root cause of all evil: Africa is raped by poverty of leadership.

Raped by egoistic, selfish, and ignoramus buffoons who pretend to stand for her; humiliated world-over; left behind to die impoverished and in despair; stained by the blood of innocents falling victim to violence, cruelty, and lawlessness; hemorrhaging her precious resources – living and non-living.

Bloodied, exposed, and defiled by the ruthlessness of her own; helpless and powerless in exploitation; shamed by plagues and misery: Africa is raped by poverty of compassionate leadership.

A play-ground for aggressors and opportunists, exploited and sold, with bleeding arteries that became boarders between nations: Africa is raped by poverty of courageous leadership.

With potentials unfulfilled, promise unrealized, lands un-tilled and deforested, ravaged by civil-wars among brothers and sisters,  dependent on remission and gifts, an empty basket filled with hope and faith: Africa is raped by poverty of visionary leadership.

Africa is raped by poverty of leadership!