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The struggle with many a rigid Logooli cultural practices

  The Logooli community is one of the deeply cultured societies – with near everything supposed to have been done as per custom – to allow another custom to follow. One example is that for a mature man (with a child or more) to be buried, there must be a house structure at home. Another is that a boy must be circumcised and nursed in father land. If maternal family decides to, the boy will have a hard time reconnecting with father people - a dent on his masculinity. There were two children who got burnt to death in a house in Nairobi. The single mother had left for night work. Elders were told that one of the children was Logooli. The other, the woman had sired with someone else. The Logooli family wanted to burry their little one and long discussed the do’s and don’ts. Of a man who died childless and the grave was placed as if he had died as a man with children. It should have been dug on the sides, the grave. A real thorn should have been thrust in his buttocks, his name go...
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How to read a poem

Let me apologise for using a derogatory title. That you don't know how to read a poem? Or I want to sound arrogant? Maybe. But wait, do you know how to read? More than a decade ago I sat on the dung-plastered open veranda to loudly read so that mama knew I could! But she paused me to say, 'Good reading is silent reading'. To adapt was not easy. I cannot brag I am better now.

I internally get angered when I ask someone to read a poem I wrote and what she does is to read through quickly as if it was some other piece of gossip article. It happens anyway that what you think is must-read is someones nothing. I proposed some songs to a person- songs that bleed my heart-and what she did was to say, 'they boring'. well.

But I don't think there is a wide variance between our likes. It is a matter of exposure and curiosity. Can't you think of a certain prevailing topic and get interested to find out? You living with a roommate of different likes...have you ever got nosy to step in his shoes? I am not what I originally made. Country songs that I love are my friend's affecting. Books that I read are my teacher's insist. It is a matter of picking up and growing through.

A poem for that matter should not be read with a lady who-was-first-told-she-is-beautiful attitude. Take time to read through each word with increased understanding and trigger of thoughts with some repetitions. I have come to love a poem just after reading the last word or sentense- sometimes it is never understood and the breadth tend to keep much away.

People of short mood runs- I do change quickly from extreme happiness to aloofness- find poetry interesting. It is a condensed novel. It speaks so much in so little space hence saving the lazy minds time to idle awhile. I used to dislike poetry until recently- you never know when perfection comes, just keep self in the practise room.

Don't wait for a poet to use the 'right' words and styles. Yes there are petty writers like any field that has competing spectators. A poet writes how best a thought could be brought down but remember originality is still in the brain. Therefore do not look at the words and comment in your head. Seek to know deeper- context, mood, your experiences, writer's experience, related lessons...and if you can't be imaginative, start meditating. I can't speak much.

Pic by Peter Loughlin

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